


Hero Academia DxD

by DinoCam1234



Series: Hero Academia DxD [1]
Category: High School DxD, Under Night In-Birth (Video Game), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia, 文豪ストレイドッグス | Bungou Stray Dogs
Genre: 1-A and 1-B are equals, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fusion, BOOBIES!!, Bakugou Katsuki Swears A Lot, But that doesn’t mean the girls won’t try, Canon-Typical Violence, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Crossover, Dragon Midoriya Izuku, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, May or may not contain Smut, Multi, My Hero Academia and High School DxD are the main series, Polyamory, You know why it’s rated Mature
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2020-02-09 05:46:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 138,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18632038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DinoCam1234/pseuds/DinoCam1234
Summary: In a world where 80% of the population has a superpower called a Quirk, Midoriya Izuku has always wanted to become a Hero, a superpowered crimefighter who could save people with a smile and bring them hope in their time of need. No amount of bullying or scorn was ever going to beat that out of him.The only problem? He’s Quirkless.Then he meets a young woman who says she can help. And Izuku, against his better judgment, agrees… And gets killed. Fortunately, he’s later revived by the beautiful Rias Gremory, who just happens to be a General Studies Student at U.A. High.Now a devil servant for Rias, Izuku must now deal with villains from both the human and supernatural worlds, while learning how to be a Hero, gaining a harem by accident along the way. He’s not going to be able to handle the last one very well.Now with TV Troupes page! https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/HeroAcademiaDXD





	1. Midoriya Izuku, the Hero

_“All men are not created equal. I learned that a long time ago.”_

At a playground, a toddler with green and black unkempt hair was trembling with tears in his eyes. Behind him was a boy with chestnut hair. He was crying and curled up in a ball. “You’re being mean to him, Kacchan,” the boy said still trembling as he got into a fighting pose. “If you don’t stop hurting him… I’LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!”

In front of him were 3 boys, one had ash-blond hair, another was chubby and the last one had long brown hair. The boys simply smirked as they prepared to gang up on the green head. “You really wanna try and be a hero?” The ash-blond said with a smirk as he punched his fist into his palm, generating an explosion. Meanwhile, the two kids behind him did extraordinary things as well, the chubby one spawned wings and flew up with the long-haired one extended his fingers to completely abnormal lengths, “As if you could ever be one without a Quirk, _Deku_.”

Later, Izuku was laying down on the ground, beat up and bruised, looking up into the sky with the boy he was trying to defend earlier looking down at him, tears in his violet eyes. “Are you… okay?”

Izuku only nodded.

 

* * *

 

**TEN YEARS LATER**

 

That same boy, Midoriya Izuku, was tapping his pencil anxiously as he listened to Urobuchi-sensei droning on and on about the Meiji period. History wasn’t Izuku’s favorite subject. At least, not ancient history.

The Era of Quirks was far more Izuku’s speed. Specifically, when All Might first appeared.

All Might, the Symbol of Peace. Whenever he arrived, the Villain was captured and nobody was hurt. He’d always appear with the widest grin on his face, his booming laughter echoing through the air no matter what kind of danger he plunged into.

Whether it was rescuing people, stopping criminals, or just getting a kitten out of a tree, no job was too large or too small for All Might. Evildoers dreaded his name while the innocent knew that everything was going to be alright when they saw his smile!

A goofy grin spread across Izuku's lips as he sketched a crude drawing of All Might’s face into his notebook. He couldn’t help it. Thinking about his idol always put him in a great mood.

_‘Man, I wish I could see that video of him taking out those bank robbers earlier today. I can’t believe it happened just a few blocks from here!’_

The bell rang and Izuku began packing his notebooks into his bag. “Not only that, All Might actually teamed up with Ingenium for that! It’ll be the first time I’ve ever seen him be partnered with a speed Quirk user. I can see how Ingenium stacks up against All Might in that depart-!”

“Hey! Deku!”

Izuku winced, turning around to see his childhood friend Bakugo Katsuki sauntering towards him with a fierce scowl on his face.

“Your mumbling bullshit is getting on my nerves! I could hear it all the way from my desk!”

“S-sorry, Kacchan…” Izuku apologized while bowing his head. He had that problem ever since he was a kid and people have complained about it before. “I’m working on it and…”

“And what the hell are you doing obsessing over the speed of All Might and Ingen-whatever?” Bakugo asked with a sneer of contempt.

Izuku could hear his classmates mutter to themselves.

“Ah, geez here they go again…”

“I know Bakugo has an awesome Quirk, but he’s way too pig-headed.”

“Hey, better he be an ass to Midoriya than to us.”

“Heh. True that. At least I’ve got a Quirk.”

“Honestly, Midoriya’s just sad…”

Izuku’s heart sank as the chorus of insults and pity began. “W-Well, I mean, I just want to gather information and…”

“Dream on, Deku.” Bakugo poked Izuku on the forehead hard enough to knock him to the floor. “Your scrawny little ass couldn’t even hope to catch up to them. I mean, have you seen yourself in Phys Ed? It’s a disgrace you’re even competing against me, let alone all these other losers!”

“I-I was just…”

Izuku’s gaze drifted to the ground. Everything Bakugo said was true. His physical condition was lacking…

…It was sad, really. Clinging to his dream like this. One would think he would devote his mind and body to training, like one of those comic characters of old…

But that was fiction. This was reality.

Bakugo clicked his tongue in annoyance, “So stop muttering or shouting that bullshit. You’re distracting an elite like me from getting what I deserve.”

With that, Bakugo sauntered away to meet up with Kohei and Masashi. Most of Izuku’s classmates muttered or chuckled with one another but left Izuku alone. Except for one. “Hey, Midoriya-san, are you okay?” a soft voice asked him from behind.

Izuku turned his head around to face the speaker. She was named Milia Takamaki, one of the few girls who didn’t appear to think of him in any negative light, and the only girl at the school who even bothered to talk to him. Because of that, she was the only girl he knew he could talk to somewhat comfortably. She was very cute too, having shoulder-length light ocean blue hair tied in a ponytail with a purple maid headband and deep purple eyes along with thick long black eyelashes. Over her eyes were a set of huge circular glasses, which made boys and girls alike view her as a cute meganekko (glasses girl). Her figure was slim and petite and she had a bust size that made most of the girls jealous.

“I-I’m fine, Takamaki-san,” Izuku replied, picking himself up off the ground and bitting back the stinging tears building at the corners of his eyes.

“Midoriya, don’t let what Bakugo said get to you,” Milia said, offering him his bag. “I’m sure when given the chance, you’ll become a great hero like All Might.”

“…T-thanks, Takamaki-san,” he took hold of his bag before the two left the classroom.

_‘She’s right. It doesn’t matter what Kacchan says. There’s a chance. There’s always a chance. There has to be a chance for someone like me to be a Hero!’_

 

* * *

 

Once school ended, Izuku hung his head as he walked home through the streets of Musutafu, a sigh escaping his lips as Bakugo’s words ran through his mind.

 _‘Takamaki’s right, I can’t let what Kacchan says get to me,’_ Izuku thought to himself with a shake of his head. ‘ _So what if I’m not athletic? Some Heroes rely a lot on their tools. Snipe relies more on his marksmanship than how fast he can run or how hard he can punch! Yeah! If I just study enough, I can find a path best suited for me and…’_

Izuku stopped and stared at his reflection in a puddle on the sidewalk. ‘ _Oh, why am I doing this to myself?'_

Izuku had been told all his life that his dream was unrealistic, impossible even. That without a Quirk he could not be a Hero. He didn’t want to believe it. He couldn’t believe it.

_‘I still won’t believe it!’_

But still, he needed to train if he wanted to have a hope of making it through U.A.’s physical tests. But that was six months away! What can he do to prove to himself that his dream wasn’t impossible?

 _‘I need to get into U.A. first,’_ Izuku sighed for what felt like the hundredth time. _‘Kacchan will probably throw a fit when he finds out…’_

“Look, it’s All Might!”

Izuku froze at the announcement. Without warning, Izuku ran ahead. Several other people had done the same, most of them hoping to catch a glimpse of the Symbol of Peace.

“Th-there he is!" Izuku pointed out. Jumping through the air was indeed All Might. He wore his classic blue and red spandex, his cape billowing in the air behind him. Under his arm, there was some overly large and slightly deformed man, most likely due to his Quirk, beaten unconscious. The boisterous laughter of the number one hero echoed through the air.

Izuku was grinning like a kid in a candy store, his glittering green eyes hiding no small amount of his admiration. “S-so cool… I actually got to see him… He looks even cooler in person…”

“Careful now. You’ll drool at this rate,” someone, a girl based on the voice, next to him pointed out with a small chuckle, glancing at Izuku from the side. “You a fan of his, aren’t you?”

“Of course! All Might is amazing in every sense of the word!” Izuku declared without hesitation, still looking to the sky to watch as the hero continued to jump from building to building, his figure slowly shrinking in the distance. “Ever since I was little, I’ve always wanted to be a Hero just like… just like…” Izuku’s grin finally began to disappear, his shoulders and pupils falling as he spoke. Harsh reality quickly evaporated what was left of his energetic stupor.

“Is something wrong?”

Izuku looked at the girl who was talking to him… and immediately froze up. She was a young woman with cyan eyes and very long, flaming red hair, not to mention a voluptuous figure, which included breasts that a lot of girls would kill to have. She also wore the standard U.A. uniform

Izuku’s face began to turn the same shade of red as the girl's hair. “Uh,I’mfine!Sorrygottago!BYE!” Izuku then ran off, the redhead continued to watch him with interest.

 

* * *

 

_‘I was talking to a girl that wasn’t Takamaki! I was talking to a girl that wasn’t Takamaki! I was talking to a girl that wasn’t Takamaki! I was talking to a girl that wasn’t Takamaki! I was talking to a girl that wasn’t Takamaki!’_

Those nine words ran through his mind for the next half hour as he paced back and forth on a bridge near his apartment.

Eventually, he calmed down. Sighing, Izuku looked up into the sky as the sun began to set. After seeing All Might he lost track of time. _‘Takamaki-san is the only person I know who believes in me, but without a Quirk…’_ Izuku sat on a bench. “All I want is to be a hero. So why… Why is the world so cruel to me?”

“Uh, excuse me?” a voice spoke up.

Izuku broke out of his slump and looked to the side, seeing a raven-haired girl wearing a white, double-breasted blazer with a high collar and a gold trim that reaches halfway down her thighs, its sleeves elbow-length and cut off by wide pale blue cuffs, a large pink bow at her neck, a dark blue long-sleeved shirt with matching dress pants, white gloves and white boots.

Izuku, recognizing the uniform as Seiai Academy’s, an all-girl hero school, blushed slightly upon seeing her, “Uh, y-yes?” he asked. _‘I’m talking to a girl again!! I’m talking to a girl again!!’_

“I’m sorry, but I overheard you saying you wanted to be a hero, correct?” she asked.

“Y-y-yeah. T-that’s all I w-want.” Izuku answered, wondering what she wanted.

“Well, my name’s Amano Yuuma, and… I think I can help.”

Izuku blinked a few times, not sure if he heard that right. “Huh?”

“I know how you can be a hero,” the girl clarified. “You just have to do me a few favors is all. Can we meet at Wookiees after school tomorrow?”

“Uh…” _‘Just who is this girl? And why do I have a bad feeling about this?’_ “Sure…” he hesitantly agreed. “W-what’s the favor?”

“Go on a date with me.”

“Wha…”

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow!” at that the girl turned around and left.

Izuku, for his part, was still in shock that somehow he gotten a date along with a chance to fulfill his dream. In a daze, he went home.

 

* * *

 

“Midoriya Izuku of Class C-3.”

Within a small club building at U.A.’s more open school grounds, there was one room that had a very gothic atmosphere. There were some couches surrounding a small table which held a chess set in the middle and desk table sitting at the end of the room. Sitting at the desk was the redhead Izuku had met earlier, looking through a folder which contained a profile on him.

“That’s right,” a blond boy with blue eyes said, standing in front of her. “I got all the info I could. It probably helps I’m in a neighboring class.”

“Says here he’s Quirkless,” she said, closing the folder and setting it down.

“There isn’t anyone at the school who doesn’t know. His classmates, Bakugo Katsuki in particular, bully and belittle him because of that, the only exception being Takamaki-san. And Bakugo used to be his friends from what I heard.”

The girl, for a brief moment, looked angry before calming down. “Even if he’s Quirkless, I can feel that there's something oddly special about him. I just can’t put my finger on it.”

“You mean he has a Sacred Gear?” A petite girl sitting on a couch, eating ice cream, asked.

“Possibly,” the redhead answered, folding her arms, “For now we should keep a close eye on him. We don’t want to miss our opportunity.”

 

* * *

 

The next day after school, Izuku went to the Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall as Yuuma asked him to do. He was still a little uneasy about this. A girl from a private all-girls hero school suddenly showing up saying she can help him become a hero? Something about that just didn’t sit right with him.

He wanted to tell his mother about it, but she probably would’ve focused more on the part that a pretty girl just asked him out without warning. As the afternoon weighed on, Izuku waited near the front entrance. “She’s sure taking her time,” he noted. “Maybe this was a scam after all.”

“I probably should’ve told mom, and called the police about it,” he began. “I mean, assuming she even does show up, this will be my first date, but I barely even know her. And we aren’t going anywhere fancy like a five-star restaurant or something… Maybe I should've changed out of my school uniform? Oh man, what is Amano-san going to wear? Does she think this is more of a casual thing? Or is she going to show up in a dress…?” as Izuku began one of his muttering sessions, he’d unknowingly began pacing around a lamppost. “Wait! What if we are going to a fancy restaurant?! Does-that-mean-I’m-underdressed!Did-Amano-san-set-up-a-reservation-or-something?Should-I-have-gotten-her-flowers?!Why-does-dating-have-to-be-so-complicate-”

_*Bonk*_

“OW!” Izuku cried out in pain, rubbing his forehead with a wince. He was so caught up with his thoughts and panic that he didn’t realize that he was walking towards the lamppost until it was too late, and now he was paying the price. He just hoped that no one had seen him panicking and hurting himself like an idiot.

“Uh, excuse me, sir? Are you okay?”

 _‘…Why am I not surprised?’_ Still rubbing his temples, Izuku saw a young woman wearing a vampire-style outfit. “Y-yeah, I’m f-fine,” Izuku answered, a slight blush adorned on his face.

The woman smiled before she handed him a flyer. “Take this for good luck.” At that, she promptly left.

“Huh?” Izuku looked over the flyer. There was a strange pentagram, the words ‘Make Your Wish Come True’ at the top. “Okay… Weird.”

“Midoriya-kun! Sorry for being late. Were you waiting long?” Came Yuuma’s voice.

Izuku, hearing her, looked over and saw Yuuma wearing purple dress shoes, jeans, and a pink shirt. Izuku blushed at how she looked in her clothes, putting the flyer he’d received in his pocket. “I-It’s f-fine.”

“Good," she said as she wrapped her arm around his, “So, shall we go?”

Izuku screamed internally due to feeling Yuuma’s breast pressed up against his arm. He nodded as his face turned red, and the two headed out.

Throughout the whole afternoon, Izuku and Yuuma spent time around the mall, trying on clothes, listening to CD's, and just having a good time. Soon they were at a cafe sharing a meal. As they each took a sip from their respective drinks, Izuku thought, _‘So far this hasn’t been that bad. I haven’t fainted at least. But still, I wonder why she’s doing this? And how will this help me become a hero?’_

As the day was coming to a close, the two were walking through a nearby park close together. Yuuma smiled as she took Izuku’s hand into hers, making the boy sweat as his face turned red for the umpteenth time that day. _‘She’s holding my hand! A girl is holding my hand!! A GIRL IS HOLDING MY HAND!!!’_

They stopped before the park fountain, as Yuuma spoke, “I had a wonderful time today, Midoriya-kun.”

“I-I d-d-did too, A-A-Amano-san.” Izuku muttered.

“Just one thing left to do before we make you a hero.” She then promptly let go of his hand and stood in front of Izuku, kneeling down. “This will be the last favor.”

Izuku began to sweat even more now. _‘Please tell me she doesn’t want a kiss! I’ve barely handled the hand holding!’_ “Wha-What is it?”

Smiling, she leaned into him and whispered into his ear, “Would you die for me?”

“Uh, what?” Izuku began to back away. “I-I’m n-not s-sure I heard that r-right,” he muttered nervously.

Yuuma’s smile then turned into a wicked grin, her violet eyes darkening. “I want you… to _die_ for me.” A pair of large, black bird-like wings jutted out from her back.

Izuku, in shock, staggered back. _‘WINGS?! Where did those come from!? Are they her Quirk? They make her look like a demon!’_

“I will admit, I had fun today,” she said in a more mature, sinister voice. “Considering how young and naive you were, things could’ve been far worse. But unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.” She held out her hand as red light began to glow from her palm, forming a spear. “Time to die!”

“Ah! Amano-san! Wait!” Izuku pleaded, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

_*SHINK!*_

A jolt ran through Izuku’s brain as he felt a burning sensation rush through his gut. Looking down, a spear of light stuck through his torso. Blood spilled out of his wound, his shirt stained in red.

“You must be having a good time handling that rod like that. Are you into rods? Is that it?” she smiled. “Maybe I should pull it out for you.” She gripped her spear and swiftly tore it out from his body, causing Izuku to scream out from the pain. “I’m sorry,” she lied as the spear of light disappeared. “But the fact is you posed far too great a risk to us. If you want someone to blame, then blame Him. He’s the reason you have the Sacred Gear.”

 _‘What is she talking about?’_ Izuku thought as he fell to the ground.

“My name is Raynare, boy. Remember that in Hell. Oh, and thanks again for the date. It was fun~!” She laughed before flying off.

Tears began to stream down Izuku’s face. _‘Am I gonna die here… why? Why has the world been so cruel?!’_ With the little strength he had, he lifted his now bloody hand. _‘Mom… Dad… I’m sorry… Please forgive me…’_ He then noticed the blood on his hand. _‘Red… Same as that girl’s hair… Why am I thinking of her now?’_ Unknown to him, the flyer he’d received earlier began to glow. _‘I just wish… I was given a chance to become a hero…’_

Suddenly, the flyer flew out of his pocket and become a large, red magic circle. Form it emerged the redheaded girl. She gasped in shock upon seeing Izuku. “Oh no!” She raced to him, looking over his wound. “Looks like the work of a fallen angel. I can’t believe I let one slip into my territory.”

She then smiled. “Don’t worry,” she said in a reassuring way as she fiddled with a red chess piece in her hand. “I won’t let you die. From now on, you’ll live for my sake.”


	2. Rias Gremory, the Devil

_“Morning is here! Morning is here! Morning is here! Morning is-”_

Izuku groaned as he reached out from under his bed to turn off his All Might alarm clock. He groaned some more before sitting straight up in bed causing his blanket to fall off.

“Ugh, what a nightmare,” Izuku groaned, as he felt his head. He then looked down at his torso and lifted up his undershirt seeing there was no hole in his abdomen, “But… why did it feel so real.” He got out of bed still feeling drowsy.

After getting dressed, Izuku went into the living room, where his mom sat on the couch watching the morning news. “There you are!” she said. “Did you know how worried I was last night. You never answered your phone. I thought one of those zealot murderers got you!”

Izuku blinked a few times in surprise. “Uh, I’m sorry mom. When I got home you were already asleep and my phone was dead.” _‘That’s weird… My phone was dead yesterday, but I don’t remember coming home at all.’_

“The next time you plan to stay out so late at least tell me in advance,” Inko deadpanned. “You’re breakfast is on the table.”

“Okay.”

 

* * *

 

After breakfast, Izuku went to school like normal, but for some odd reason, the sunlight just sapped him of energy. “So tired,” he groaned at his desk. The school bell would ring soon, and everyone was clamoring to their seats.

Izuku’s mind was still going over the ‘dream’ he had. _‘Why did it feel so real?’_ He began to wonder if he was under the effects of someone’s Quirk when the teacher arrived.

“Alright, nice to see everyone present for once,” he said. “Today’s lecture will cover the constellations. Pay attention because we’ll have a test about this Saturday.”

_‘Maybe this will help clear my head.’_ Izuku thought as he prepared his school notebook.

 

* * *

 

It didn’t. While the lectures and projects for his classes did help clear his head a little, by lunch Izuku had more questions than answers. And it didn’t help that he felt tired every time he stepped outside into the sunlight. He was currently eating by himself under the shade of a tree, enjoying the lunch his mom prepared. “That defiantly wasn’t a dream,” he concluded. “But does that mean Amano-san really did kill me? If so, then how am I still alive? How was she able to create that light spear? Did her Quirk allow her to control light? And what’s a Sacred Gear? And what did she mean by ‘Him’? And who’s voice did I hear after I blacked out?”

 

* * *

 

When school ended, Izuku had more questions than answers. It didn’t help he felt tired all day. “Why is the sun making me feel so weird?” he asked himself as he walked home.

By the time Izuku made it back to his neighborhood, it had already turned dark with the sun setting in the distance. Strangely, he actually felt rejuvenated. And despite it being so dark, he could see clearly, better than during the day even. Not only that, he could clearly hear peoples conversations even if they’re a block away. “What is happening to me?” He asked himself.

It wasn’t obvious till now, but ever since this morning, Izuku felt his body was different somehow. Questions were spinning in his head, about to be unleashed as a mumble storm, when Izuku stopped in his tracks, a cold feeling running down his spine.

“Am I… being followed?”

Izuku slowly turned around behind him. From where the sun was setting, he could see a shapely figure walking forward to him. It was a man, middle-aged too. He was dressed in a pale gray trench coat over a white dress shirt with a matching ascot, black pants and shoes, a pair of black gloves, and a black fedora.

“Well, how unfortunate…” he said. “Me, bumping into something like you in a place like this.”

Hesitantly, Izuku took a couple of steps back, instinct telling him that he should run. _‘Who is this guy?!’_

“Trying to run?” the man asked as he drew closer. “Tell me boy, where’s your master?”

Izuku turned around and ran as fast as he could, not daring to look back. He ran for what felt like hours before he finally stopped. Taking in his surroundings, Izuku saw he was at a small park near his apartment.

“I think…I…lost him…” he panted.

“Think again.”

Izuku nearly jumped out of his skin, screaming as he turned around. The man had somehow followed him. The reason why? He had two large, black bird-like wings.

_‘Those wings…! They’re like Amano-san’s! Does that mean they’re related?!’_

As the man floated up in the air, he looked around, as if searching for something. “No sign of your friends or master, and no magic circles being deployed,” he then looked to Izuku again, this time with a sadistic grin. “Therefore I will assume you are a stray.”

_‘Stray? Master? What is he talking about?!’_

Blue light emitted from the palm of his hand, soon forming a spear. “That means killing you won’t be a problem!”

Izuku, realizing what was going to happen, tried to run-

_*SHINK!*_

Only to collapse to the ground, a spear of light stuck through his torso. “It… burns…” he gagged painfully. He tried to grab it, but his hands were burned by it.

“Light is a deadly poison to your kind,” the man said. “Sorry for giving you so much pain. Looks like I missed the vital organs,” the spear of light disappeared and reformed in the man’s hand. “I won’t miss this time!”

**BOOM!**

“GAHA!” the man gasped from the impact of a sudden explosion hitting his back, causing him to drop his spear, part of his coat burned to a crisp. The weapon instantly shattered and vanished as it hit the ground.

“Pardon me, but could you not touch that kid?” a third voice asked.

“Tch,” the man glared at his attacker behind him. “I know you… you’re the duke’s daughter, right?”

“That’s right,” the mystery person said, stepping into a street light. “Rias Gremory, at your service. How do you do, fallen angel-san?” she introduced, performing a bow.

“R…Rias… Gremory…?” Izuku groaned, looking behind him. He recognized her as the U.A. student he met the other day.

“Don’t tell me that this kid is your property?” the man demanded.

“He is,” Rias smiled like a fox as she folded her arms, “And I won’t hold back if you kill him.”

“Very well. I’ll apologize today,” the man released his wings and took off into the air. “But I advise you not to let your servant loose again. There are others like me who would prefer to hunt him down.”

“Thanks for the advice, but this city is under my protection,” Rias warned, “If any of your friends interfere, don’t blame me if you get turned to ashes for it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. My name is Dohnaseek. Till next time, Gremory princess!” he shouted, flying off into the night air.

Izuku was barely able to register what had just happened with the burning hole in his torso. The man was a fallen angel? Did that mean Yuuma was a fallen angel too? And how did this Rias person drive him off? What was happening? He couldn’t think anymore as he fell on his face and darkness enveloped his vision.

 

* * *

 

_“Morning is here! Morning is here!”_

The sound of Izuku’s alarm violated his ears. Snorting in irritation, he rubbed his eyes as his sight adjusted to the morning sun. He slowly sat up and slammed his alarm shut. “Huh? I’m still alive?” Izuku muttered to himself groggily. “I thought that guy with the black wings was trying to kill me, then that red-haired girl saved my life.” He gave out a tired yawn. “I guess it really was just a bad dream…”

He flipped the sheets off his body, only to look down to realize something very, very wrong. “Huh?! I’m NAKED?!”

Then he noticed something else. His head twitched like a clock as he slowly turned his head. Next to him in his bed was Rias, sleeping soundly in the nude. His mind was a blur, unable to comprehend what was happening. There, lying in his bed, was a beautiful girl from U.A. High. How the hell did that manage to even happen? “Ah… ah… ah…” Izuku whispered, blood slowly dripping from his nose and ‘junior’ standing in attention. _‘There’s a naked girl next to me! Oh my God, what do I-’_ “AGH!” A sudden, sharp pain exploded in his head like a bullet had just bolted through, causing him to clutch his eyes and temple. Unfortunately, this caused the girl to stir from her sleep.

She moaned softly as her eyes fluttered open. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she sat up and faced Izuku in all her naked glory, “Oh, good morning Izuku-kun.”

“Go… good morning,” Izuku nodded shyly. “Um… and, uh?”

“Hm?” Rias smiled, “What is it?”

“I-I-I-I c-can s-s-see your b-b-b-b-b-,” he whispered, unable to finish.

“That’s fine,” she smiled slyly, cupping her mounds, “In fact, you can look at them all you like.”

“Huh?!” Izuku gasped, blood running from his nose. He shook his head and wiped the blood from his nose, “Wha-wha-wha… what’s going on?! How did we get here?! How did you fight off that guy with the wings?! And how do you know my name?!”

“One question at a time,” Rias laughed. “That man was a fallen angel, and he is our natural enemy. And I brought you here through a magic circle.”

“Huh? Magic?” Izuku said in disbelief. He blushed as Rias gently cupped his face and caressed his cheek.

“That’s right,” Rias purred, “You see, I’m a devil and also your master. A pleasure to meet you, Midoriya Izuku. And please, call me Rias-san for now.”

“R-Rias-san? You…? You’re a devil?" Izuku blinked, trying his best not to gaze too much at the older girl’s hourglass figure. “You mean fire and brimstone, horns and pitchforks kind of devil?”

“Oh, no. Nothing like that, love,” Rias laughed, waving it off. She sat on the edge of the bed next to him and rested her hand against her knee. “While humans tend to look at us that way, devils are hardly anything like that.”

“Uh… right,” Izuku cocked his head. Rias’ smile turned mischievous as an idea formed in her head. Scooting closer, she looped her arms over his and rested her head on his own. “R-R-Rias-san!?” Izuku blushed brighter, “What are you-?”

“Well, if you want to get to know your companion start by sitting side down with them side-by-side,” Rias elaborated, “That’s Dating 101. Now you know. I bet from here on out you’ll never make the boorish mistake of sitting across from your date, will you?” She emphasized her point by squeezing her perky nipple against his arm. Izuku’s eyes grew large as his face became bright red, sweating intensely. His breathing intensified. Rias just continued teasing him, stroking her fingers over his bare chest like a brush on paper. Then, she leaned her lips close to his ear and blew a gentle breeze. Shuddering, Izuku backed up to the other side of his bed.

Rias couldn’t help but giggle, looking at his embarrassed face. _‘It’s really fun to tease him like this.’_ As she looked around his room, Rias noted all the All Might merchandise he had. “I knew you were a hero fanboy, especially All Might, but this is a bit much.”

Somehow Izuku’s blush turned redder. “I greatly admire him…”

Then, to his abject horror, he could hear footsteps approaching his door with his mother’s voice coming closer, “Izuku! Don’t tell me you’re oversleeping! If I have to drag you out of bed, I will!”

Izuku began to panic as he jumped from his bed. “Crap! It’s Mom! How am I gonna explain this?! Oh God- ARG!” The same pain from before rocketed through him. And, like before, the pain lasted only for a short moment before it subsided just as quickly. “Why does that keep happening…?”

“That’s normal for devils,” Rias explained, not looking the least bit worried that Izuku’s mother was about to walk in on them, “Just thinking of God let alone praying to Him is enough to give you a headache.”

“Never mind! We have to get decent- no, I have to get decent and I need you to hide before mom sees you! At least put on a shirt!” Izuku shouted, trying to reach over his bed to find something to cover his legs. Unfortunately, he didn’t get far enough as Inko had already opened the door.

“Izuku, breakfast is almost ready! So get out… of… bed…” She lost track of her words upon seeing the crimson haired girl in her son’s bed in her birthday suit. Not only that, Izuku was above her with both of his hands on either side of her head, also butt naked.

Inko’s face was the definition of shock, her eyes bulged and her mouth opened so wide you could lay eggs in it. Izuku didn’t fare any better. He couldn’t do anything else but smile nervously at the sight of his mother with sweat pouring from his face. Rias, on the other hand, was the only one who didn’t look remotely disturbed as she gave a winning smile. “Ah, you must be Izuku-kun’s mother. Good morning. I’m Rias Gremory.”

“H… hello, Rias-chan,” Inko could only say. Slowly edging away from the door, she said, “Um… I’ll let you carry on while I finish breakfast.” She slowly closed the door.

Izuku just stared and uttered, “Oh dear God, please let me fly away…” He then winced as he felt another headache.

Rias simply giggled before she stood up. She soon began to get dressed, her clothes neatly placed in the corner of the room. “How’s your stomach?” she asked.

Izuku then remembered he was stabbed last night. “How did…”

“I teleported us back to your room and stayed with you to heal your injury,” she replied as she put on a skirt. “It works best when we’re in the nude so I used you as a hug pillow.” Izuku went lava red once again, his head steaming. A haughty, almost lustful smirk appeared on Rias' face, “And I must say, I never expected someone of your age to be so… mighty~.” Izuku’s nose began to bleed as his whole head turned a darker shade of red. “And don’t worry, we’re still virgins.”

“Wh-why are you doing this?!”

“Because teasing you is so much fun.”

 

* * *

 

The walk to his school was _far_ longer than usual. Izuku’s face was one of complete and total embarrassment throughout the way. As he got closer to his school, the more students saw who he was with. The boys were glaring daggers at him, their faces twisted in looks of envy. The girls were whispering at each other with either looks of confusion and wonder or total suspicion. The cause of all this? How about the fact that Rias was walking next to him with her arm looped around his? She was so close he could smell her strawberry perfume. It was so intoxicating.

“Uh, Ri-Rias-san?” Izuku began, just barely able to form that sentence. “Do you have to stand so close to me?” Izuku asked, hesitant.

“After what happened last night I didn’t want to take the chance.” Rias smiled at him, not minding the looks, “Besides, most guys would kill to be where you are now.”

“Yeah… I can see that.” Izuku muttered nervously, looking at the murderous glares from most of the male half of the crowd.

Rias couldn’t help but look at his face in amusement. It was in such a deep crimson that it could easily be matched with her crimson hair, “You haven’t been this close to a girl before, have you?”

“N-not recently,” Izuku admitted shyly, “O-Other than my mom, a-and sometimes Takamaki-san, I-I c-can’t say I have much e-experience with girls. I tend to freeze up whenever any girl gets close to me, let alone a pretty one.”

“Oh dear,” Rias said cheerfully, “So you think I’m pretty?”

“W-well, don’t a lot of people do?” Izuku stuttered. He was still red in the face and Rias was loving every second of it.

“Well, your mother seemed to think so. She’s a rather sweet woman,” Rias replied.

Izuku didn’t give a response as his face became somewhat uncertain. Instead, his mind wandered back to how breakfast went.

 

* * *

 

_“IZUKU! I’M SO HAPPY! YOU FINALLY BROUGHT A FRIEND OVER! AND IT’S A GIRL!” Inko cried as she hugged her son, squeezing him tight, tears of happiness flying off her eyes like fountains. “I can’t believe this is happening! My baby boy brought over a girl to visit! And a very cute one too! Oh Izuku, I’m so happy for you! You’re growing up so fast!”_

_“Mom! Please!” Izuku pleaded, trying to escape from the smoothing of his mother. “Not in front of Rias-san!”_

_“Oh, you,” Inko smiled, letting go of her son and wiping away her tears. “Don’t be so shy. It’s natural for boys your age to do this and that with a girl like her. Me and Hisashi didn’t do it until we were in high school but you get my drift.” She giggled as her face became flushed, “It was fun to have him underneath me in the sack…”_

_“Mom!” Izuku groaned, his face red. “I don’t need to know how you had me!”_

_“So, Rias-chan was it?” Inko asked, turning to the other woman at the table. “Sorry for being like that. It’s just… It’s been so long since my son brought anyone home and I got a little emotional… Please, don’t mind me.”_

_“It’s fine, Mrs. Midoriya,” Rias assured, having enjoyed the emotional woman’s show._

_“Oh, there’s no need to be so formal, dear. You can call me Inko, if you want,” Inko insisted. “Pardon me for asking, but are you a U.A. student?”_

_“Yes, ma’am,” Rias confirmed, “I’m currently a first year in the general studies course. And I must say, I didn’t expect you to look so young. I thought you were his older sister for a moment.”_

_“Oh my!” Inko giggled daintily, “Most of the people on my side of the family do appear young even in adulthood. The only thing negative about it is that it’s rather tough to get jobs or needing to show ID to get certain things.” She sighed and cleared her throat behind her fist, “So Rias-chan, how did you and my son meet?”_

_“I was walking home from school about a week ago when I meet him watching some heroes stop some purse snatchers,” Rias explained, not missing a beat. “He was taking notes about the heroes, and when I approached him he looked like he was about to have a heart attack. When he finally calmed down we talked for a bit and he told me about how he wanted to become a great hero like All Might. We stayed a little later than we thought yesterday so we went home together.” Izuku blinked at how quickly Rias answered. He had to admit that it was a nice save. He wasn’t sure how he would explain the events of yesterday to his mother._

_But how did Rias know about him wanting to become a hero?_

_“So that’s the case,” Inko nodded, “Just promise that you’ll keep my son safe.”_

_“I’ll do what I can, Inko-san,” Rias promised her._

 

* * *

 

With a groan, Izuku said, “Thanks for stopping mom from making a fuss about… ya know…” He was somewhat thankful that Rias had altered his mother’s memories of seeing them naked, but he wasn’t sure he liked that she did it.

Rias giggled at that as they arrived at Izuku’s school, where the stares intensified, and gossip had already erupted from them.

“OMG! Who is that with Midoriya-kun?”

“No way! Is that a U.A. Student?!”

“Are they dating? Really? Are they dating?”

“Why would a U.A. student date a Quirkless kid like him?”

“But they do look pretty cute together. Like an otouto/onee-sama kind of couple.”

“Waa! So cute!”

“Damn you, Midoriya! Gah!”

“As if things weren’t bad enough for me here,” Izuku groaned.

“Hey, don’t be so negative. They are right about one thing,” Rias grinned at him with a glint in her eyes. Her teeth, he noticed, looked rather sharp. Though he couldn't help but feel enchanted by her smile. Maybe it was just part of her charm. “We do look pretty cute together~.” Izuku looked away in shyness.

“P-please s-stop t-teasing m-me,” Izuku stammered.

“You’re too cute,” she said playfully, poking him on the cheek. “Anyway, I have to head over to U.A. now. I’ll send someone to pick you up later.”

“Uh, ok,” Izuku nodded. “Where should I wait?”

“Just wait in your class. See you later.” She gave a lady-like wave and a wink before turning around to her class, making sure to put an extra swing in her steps. Izuku naturally stared as she left, her backside hypnotic. He realized what he was doing and quickly shook himself out of it.

Turning around, he saw a bunch of male students glaring at him. This won’t end well.

 

* * *

 

Izuku leaned over his chair trying to ignore the stares from the rest of his classmates. It didn’t seem to be working as he was practically in the center of the room. It had been like that all day. Even Bakugo was glaring daggers, wondering how the hell Izuku got a pretty girl from U.A. High to accompany him to school.

“This is gonna stay with me for a long time, isn’t it?” Izuku muttered from under his breath. Classes had ended a little while ago, and he was currently waiting for whoever Rias had sent to pick him up.

“Uh, Midoriya-san?” The quiet voice of Milia spoke up.

Izuku turned his head to her. “Uh, yeah? What is it, Takamaki-san?” Izuku asked, feeling a little relaxed with a pleasant face in front of him.

“Is it true?” Milia asked, “Did you really arrive at school with Gremory-senpai today?”

Izuku blinked a couple of times. “You know her?”

“You… could say that,” Milia replied. “Let’s say we’re in similar social circles.”

Izuku nodded. “Yeah, she did come with me.”

“Oh. That’s… interesting,” Milia replied. “You know, I don’t think Gremory-senpai has ever been seen dating anyone for a long time. If she has her eyes set on you, she must find you very special.”

“R-really?” Izuku muttered. “W-what’s so s-special about me?”

“Your unwavering kindness, for one, but whatever the case is I think she might’ve made the right choice in picking you,” Milia smiled, pressing the rim on her glasses, her face adorned with a light blush.

Izuku felt a chill go up his spine from the way Milia looked at him. _‘When was it that girls started getting so weird?’_ he thought to himself, looking away nervously while blushing.

Bakugo scowled at the two, having a hard time believing that Deku was so oblivious to Milia’s crush on him. “Idiots…” he growled.

Izuku’s waiting seemed to finally come to an end when the door opened, causing all the girls in the room to flush with heavy breathing and dreamy sighs, and some of the boys to all sulk and mumble in envy. Izuku didn’t have to look to see the cause of the commotion, but he did anyway. It was a boy the same age as him, Kiba Yuuto of Class B-3. He had short blond hair and blue eyes, dressed in the uniform for boys that appeared to be neatly pressed and brown loafers.

Izuku had heard that Yuuto was considered by many to be Aldera Junior High’s prince charming. For good reason too, as plenty of girls seemed to flock around him pretty much all the time. He was the epitome of a perfect gentleman, though was also seen as the bane of many boys for attracting such pretty girls, evident by the sight of a few boys scowling at him in contempt.

Yuuto hadn’t even managed to move from the doorway before he got mobbed by a group of girls. Being the gentleman he was, he accommodated the girls for a short time before politely excusing himself and walked over to Izuku’s desk.

“Hi,” Yuuto smiled, “Midoriya-kun?”

“Uh, yeah,” Izuku replied.

“Rias-san asked me to come get you,” Yuuto told him. “Would you mind following me?”

“Uh, sure,” Izuku nodded, standing up with his bag.

“Rias-san… does he mean that redheaded girl?” one girl said. “Then what happened this morning… was real?!”

“That U.A. Student sent Kiba-kun for him?” a second girl blinked. “Why?”

“No clue.”

“Is it me… or do they look like a Yaoi pairing!” a third girl squealed.

“KYA! A Kiba x Midoriya pairing!”

“That’s so hot…!”

“What the fucking hell?” Bakugo grumbled, not sure how to process what was happening before him. The school’s pretty boy taking Deku away to see some hot chick, with all the girls in class squeeing over the two like they’re leads in a boys love manga.

“Can we please go now?” Izuku asked, starting to get very uncomfortable.

“Yeah, yeah, we’re leaving now,” Yuuto laughed in a good-natured way as they both left for the hallway. “I’m sure you have plenty of questions to ask.”

“Yeah, I do,” Izuku nodded.

 

* * *

 

The two remained silent for the rest of the trip. The trip in itself took longer than Izuku thought, and in a familiar direction. “Are we heading to U.A.?”

“To one of the more public buildings, yes,” Yuuto answered.

While most of U.A.’s campus was not open to the public, there were some areas made for public use, like the clubs hosted by the general studies student body.

Izuku started to get nervous. This wasn’t how he expected his first trip to U.A. to be like. He began to sweat a little when they eventually reached the destination, a two-story building that looked like it was straight out of a horror movie.

There was a sign above the front door that read ‘Occult Research Club’. “Occult research…?”

“Rias-san will explain everything. C’mon,” Yuuto spend the door and held it open for Izuku. “We mustn't keep her waiting.” Yuuto urged him. Izuku nodded and followed Yuuto inside. The inside, unlike the outside, was rather nice. Old gothic-style furniture and marble floors gave it a rather nice touch. If only there was better lighting, as the inside still looked like a horror movie set.

“And here we are,” Yuuto said, opening the last door in the hall. Izuku stepped inside and looked around the room. Looking around, he could see that several sofas and tables were set up together orderly. There was even a pentagram at a corner, and a few paintings hanging on the wall. Sitting on one of the sofas was a young girl, likely a year younger than Izuku at least, quietly munching on a pastry

She was a short, petite girl with white hair and hazel eyes. At the front, her hair had two long bangs going past her shoulders and several loose bangs hanging over her forehead, while the back had a short bob cut. She also wore a black cat-shaped hair clip on both sides of her hair.

“Koneko-chan,” Yuuto said, grabbing the shorter girl’s attention, “I’m sure already know about Midoriya-kun.” Koneko turned her eyes to Izuku and studied him silently.

“Ah… hello?” Izuku greeted quietly. Koneko simply gave a curt nod before going back to eating her sweets.

“You’ll get used to it,” Yuuto told him, “Koneko doesn’t really get along with new people much till she knows them better.”

“I’ll… take your word for it,” Izuku nodded, glancing aside. “Is there anyone else?”

“No, not yet. Right now, the club hasn’t been finalized yet,” Yuuto answered. “Once we start attending U.A. we’ll need at least two more people in order to officially form the ORC.”

Izuku blinked a few times at what Yuuto said. “Wait, you’re applying for U.A. too?”

“Only for the general studies. I’m not interested in being a hero.”

Izuku nodded, glancing aside. He had heard that not everyone who went to U.A. applied for the heroics department, but he never met anyone like that till now. He blinked as he turned to another room that was centered off, the sound of rushing water coming from it, “Wait… is that a shower that I hear?”

“That would be Rias-san,” Yuuto told him, “She’s a stickler for cleanliness.”

“So she had a shower installed in the clubroom…? That’s not even her’s yet…?”

Eventually, the sound of a shower turning off was heard. A minute later, Rias stepped out of the room. “Oh good, you’re here,” She stepped out dressed in her uniform and combing her hair, the scent of the body wash still fresh on her. “Glad you could make it, Izu-kun.”

“Uh, yeah sure!” Izuku blushed upon the nickname Rias gave him.

“I’m sure you would like some answers now, correct?” Izuku nodded. Rias then sat down at the desk. “I’ll be blunt then. Remember when I told you that I was a devil?”

“Uh, yeah…”

“Well, so is everyone else here, and that includes you.” With a snap of her fingers, jet-black wings to stretch out of the backs of her Yuuto, and Koneko, which didn’t seem to shred their clothing from the way they shot out. Izuku felt something pulse in his back before the very same wings jumped out from behind him as well, much to his disturbance.

“Huh? What?!” Izuku gasped, looking at the black objects sticking out from him. “This is real?! I’m not dreaming?!”

“I assure you, Midoriya-kun, this is very real,” said Yuuto. “It’s a lot to take in, believe me.”

“I’ll continue,” Rias said, folding her arms. “The reality is that not just devils, but angels, fallen angels, and other supernatural beings exist. Some benevolent, and others not so much. In the term of us devils, we make pacts with humans to obtain power, while fallen angels use humans as tools to destroy us. Moreover, God has commanded the angels to destroy both us and the fallen angels. We’ve been in a three-way standoff for a long time now.”

Izuku blinked a few more times. “You’re right Kiba-san. This is a lot to take in.”


	3. New Life as a Devil

Angels? Fallen angels? Devils? They were all real? And now he was a devil too? What… what did this all mean? How did he get roped all into this? There were the questions going through Izuku’s head as he sat on one of the sofas in the ORC room. “What… does this have to do with me?”

“Remember the night you were killed?” Izuku’s response was a mix of shock and terror. “You’re ‘date’ Amano Yuuma was really a fallen angel called Raynare. I’m still not sure how or why, but lately several fallen angels have been gathering in this city. Raynare was likely ordered to kill you because of your Sacred Gear. If I had known what kind of danger you were in we would’ve intervened the moment you met her.”

“Sacred Gear? Oh yeah! I remember Amano- I mean Raynare mentioned that. What is it?”

“Sacred Gears, or God’s Artifacts as some call them, are items with powerful abilities bestowed upon certain humans,” Rias answered. “Think of them as like very special Quirks. In fact, many powerful and influential humans throughout history had Sacred Gears. You’ve likely heard of a few of them. King Arthur Pendragon, Joan of Arc, Hercules, Beowulf, Sinbad the Sailor, Guan Yu… and those are just a handful of them.”

“Those are all legendary heroes from various stories all over the world,” Izuku realized.

“Right on the money,” Rias smiled again, “You see, every religion, every pantheon that has ever been mentioned is or was real. Stories throughout each legend have at least a few heroes who can use a Sacred Gear. But only humans or those with human ancestry are born with Sacred Gears. As such devils, angels, and fallen angels often have to turn to humans who have these powers.”

Izuku then looked to where the hole should be in his stomach. “Is that why you turned me into a devil?”

“Yes,” Rias nodded. “When I meet you the other day, I saw something interesting in you so I decided to keep a close eye. Do you remember this?” from a drawer, she pulled out a very familiar flyer.

Izuku recognized it right away. “Wait… that’s the flyer that one girl gave me!”

“Right,” said Rias. “As I said, a devil needs a signed contract in order to use a human’s power. To forge an agreement with that human a devil must complete their wishes, and then they gain something else of equal price in return. However, humans who draw pentagrams these days are almost non-existent, so we use things like this flyer to create contracts.”

Izuku nodded. He was still having trouble taking this all in. On one hand, he was now a devil. On the other hand, he would probably be dead if it wasn’t for Rias. “So, I’m a devil now, and also your servant?”

“Right.” Rias smiled. “High-class devils like me need a peerage, or a team of servants, to rise up in the ranks of the devils. The more interesting the servants, the more that devil is recognized.”

Izuku nodded. “But wait, that guy last night thought I was a stray. What does that mean?”

“Exactly what it sounds like,” Rias answered. “A stray devil is a devil with no master, either because their master died or the stray killed them to obtain freedom.”

 _‘Considering she turned me into a devil without my say in it, I can see one reason why.’_ Izuku thought to himself.

“Have you heard about some of the murders going on in Musutafu?”

“Yeah, the news said that religious fanatics were the cause,” Izuku said, still feeling on edge.

“And they’re not entirely wrong,” Rias confirmed, “Some of those murders are caused by stray devils, wantonly devouring any human unfortunate enough to wander in their parlor. But that’s only a few of the murders. Most are caused by fallen angels, stray priests, and demon slayers. They kill humans who come into contact with us, believing them to be tainted. They are especially dangerous to us because their powers are supported by the prayer of God. This city has been put under my protection, and it’s my job to keep any more tragedies from happening.”

“So then… you’re like Musutafu’s secret warriors?” Izuku asked.

“For the most part,” Yuuto nodded.

“Wow…” Izuku looked down on the floor and shuffled his feet. He honestly didn't know what to think anymore. “I… I need to get some air. I really need time to process this.”

“Understandable,” Rias nodded, “You can go on ahead.”

“Thank you,” with a bow, Izuku stood up and went to the door to walk out.

He had forgotten about the wings on his back, causing them to get caught in the doorway. Izuku pulled hard against the door, groaning as he struggled to break free.

“Ah, sorry about that,” Rias said quickly. She snapped her fingers, making Izuku’s wings vanish. The momentum caused him to fall flat on his face with a thud. Izuku twitched slightly before slowly getting back up and walking away, grumbling.

“He seems to have taken it better than expected,” Yuuto said.

“It did look like he felt conflicted though,” Koneko spoke.

“Perhaps, but I did that to save him,” Rias said. “I’m sure he’ll be ready after he’s had some time to think.”

 

* * *

 

Izuku stepped out of the building, nursing the bruise on his head. He wasn’t sure what to think. He had been turned into a devil, a demon of sorts. What did it mean for his humanity? His life? Was he going to have to give up on his dream? The sunlight draining him right as he stepped outside certainly didn’t help.

“I don’t even know what to think,” he groaned. Looking around, he spotted a bench not far from the ORC building and decided to sit down. “Sacred Gear… I don’t even know what I have, but it’s apparently powerful enough that a fallen angle tried to kill me because of it. Does that mean it’s as powerful as All Might’s Quirk, or even greater?Wouldn’t-that-mean-other-heroes-are-really-using-Sacred-Gears-instead-of-Quirks?If-so-then-if-I-can-master-my-Sacred-Gear-I-can-be-a-hero?But-what-would-Kacchan-think-about-it?”

“I think he would be rather envious.”

“Gah!” Izuku looked up and saw Rias standing nearby, a slight look of amusement on her face. “How long have you been there?”

“Long enough,” she replied. “Was that one of your famous mumble sessions?”

“Uh… yeah… How did you-”

“Yuuto-kun told me about them.” Rias then sat down next to him. “I take it you’re still unsure.”

“I am,” Izuku answered. “Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful to you for saving me, but… I didn’t ask to become a devil.”

“Yes, I know. Sorry,” Rias sighed, “Listen, you’re probably thinking that becoming a devil means you’ll have to give up your humanity, right?”

“Isn’t that what people usually say?” Izuku said.

“In my opinion, humanity is an ideal and not a state of being,” she continued. “There are humans that act more twisted and evil than any devil, such as certain villains like Toxic Chainsaw or Harima Oji. Such humans are so twisted that even most devils want nothing to do with them. Just because you’re a devil, doesn’t quite mean you stop being human or stop acting like one.”

“So basically, the only thing that sets me apart from other humans are the wings on my back and aversion to light?” Izuku questioned.

“You’ll get used to sunlight eventually. Devils also don’t normally have Quirks, and there are several cultural differences,” Rias said. “But other than that, devils really aren’t all that different from humans. It’s one of the reasons why contracts between both races are so simple. Each side has something they want, whether it’s sinful or not."

“Hm…” Izuku muttered, thinking about her words. “Rias-san…” he began. “Even though I’m a devil now, do you think… I can be a hero?”

Rias smiled, and said, “Yes. I believe you have what it takes to be a hero.”

It took a moment for her words to sink in, but when they did Izuku began sobbing. But these were tears of joy. Rias reached over and hugged him, placing his head in her ample bosom as he wept.

 

* * *

 

The next day after school, Rias and Izuku had met at a small park to begin his training. The U.A. Entrance Exam was four and a half months away, and Izuku needed to both learn about his Sacred Gear’s abilities and bulk up. Currently, Izuku, in a mint green tracksuit, was doing laps around a park near his apartment. What was slowing him down was a large tire with a rope tied around it and connected to his waist, with Rias sitting on that tire, wearing the standard U.A. gym uniform. The combined weight was making him work harder, making him sweat out like a fountain, water droplets forming into a dark stained path in the dirt as he went.

“Hey, don’t slack off,” Rias said, her arms folded. “If you slow down I’ll add ten more laps.”

“Sorry…” Izuku panted tiredly, “Gonna… try… harder…!”

“You’d better,” Rias answered back. “In the world of devils, strength is absolute. The stronger you are the easier it is to rise up in ranks. I can’t have any of my servants getting weak so a training regiment is to be done every day. This is also in preparation for the U.A. entrance exam, so get moving.”

“H… hai…” Izuku groaned.

Not long after he finished jogging, Rias immediately had him doing push-ups. That in itself wouldn't have been too much of a problem despite his muscles being already sore but the pressure was added on with having to do 100 of them, and Rias was sitting on top of his back. She wasn’t heavy of course but having someone sit on top you while you were doing push-ups just made things harder.

“64… remind me again… 65… why you’re… 66… on my back…?" Izuku asked, his voice wheezing in the midst of his pushups.

“You need to increase your stamina a lot more than it already is,” Rias said to him plainly. “Power means nothing if you don’t have the ability to handle it. Your abilities will be more powerful if your basic physical stamina becomes stronger. And if your body is unfit, then your magic and demonic power could wear it down."

“Stamina… 69… fit body… 70… got it… 71!”

“If you’re talking while doing pushups, it must mean that you’ve improved,” Rias said, a sly look appearing on her face, “Shall I add another hundred?”

“No ma’am!” Izuku quickly shouted.

“Then come on! Go faster!”

“R-right! 75…!” _‘She’s enjoying this a little too much.’_

By the time Izuku had gotten to one hundred, his muscles were pulsing and aching, and he could do nothing but lay flat on his face in exhaustion. He gave a silent groan, wishing he could just crawl back in bed again.

“Good job!” said Rias. “You manage to finish within the time allowed. I’m impressed.” She took out a water bottle from her bag and handed it to Izuku.

“Th-thank you,” Izuku greedily took the bottle and began to chug the liquid.

As he finished half of the bottle, Rias said, “Now we can start learning more about your Sacred Gear.”

Izuku put away the half-finished bottle. “So, what should I do to use it?”

“First we need to figure out what it is,” Rias then grabbed hold of his left hand, causing the younger boy to blush. “From what I can tell it seems to be within your left hand. Try focusing your feelings into your hand.”

“Uh, okay,” Izuku closed his eyes, doing what he was told. Suddenly, an armored bracer emerged from his hand. It was red with yellow accents and a green jewel on top of the palm area. “Holy whoa! I did it! …But what is it?”

Rias took a good, long look over Izuku’s Sacred Gear. “Hmm… I’m not sure. It’s possible it’s in a dormant state at the moment.” Suddenly, it disappeared.

“Wha-What happened?!”

Rias sighed. “It looks like you still have some way to go,” she then smirked. “But if you can keep training, I’m sure you’ll be able to get it up and keep it up for a long time.”

This caused Izuku’s face to once again turn lava red. “Wh-why d-did y-y-you s-say it l-like t-that?!”

“Because you’re too easy.”

 

* * *

 

A week into his new life as a devil, and Izuku was jogging by himself at the park, Rias, Yuuto, and Koneko were busy fulfilling contracts. Izuku was rather surprised by how simple and straightforward working as a devil was. He had to send out pamphlets that served as tools to summon a devil the previous night. According to Rias, in the devil world, it was essential to rise through the ranks and gain recognition. There were three ways of doing that. Military accomplishments were the fastest way but were very difficult because they were often always dangerous. The three fractions were also at a ceasefire, so that would also make things difficult. Making contracts with humans was the most common way, but was also tedious and had the longest route. The third and final way was through a Rating Game, but Rias said she would go into a deeper explanation of that later.

After spending the day of handing out flyers to people, the night came and it was time to answer to the clients. A common thing most devils had was the ability to teleport through magic circles. They would have to use these portals to reach clients quickly

But since his demonic power was still incredibly low, Izuku couldn't simply teleport to the clients and thus was forced to ride a bike to them. Between his schoolwork and his training, Izuku was only able to do a couple of jobs, but one of them ended rather… disturbingly. The image of the muscle man Mil-tan in a very revealing magical girl cosplay still haunted him.

At least now he was able to summon his Sacred Gear more easily, but he and Rias still didn't know what it was yet. Rias had said that part of the reason she went to this meeting was to look for any information about it.

Izuku definitely wanted to learn more about his Sacred Gear, but for now, he focused on his training. As he neared Dagoba Municipal Beach Park, he noticed a couple of girls hauling away some old microwaves.

The first was rather petite with a slender build and is a little shorter than Izuku. Her hair is short, only around chin length, and is dark purple in color with an asymmetrical fringe, two lighter streaks shaped like sound waves on either side of her head. But her most prominent features are the flexible, plug-like earphone jacks hanging from each of her earlobes at the end of two thin cords. She was wearing a dark purple tank top and black sweat pants with white sneakers.

The other girl had a rather mature figure, being slightly taller than Rias, with long black hair tied into a spiky ponytail with a single bang hanging on the right side of her face. They also seemed to be about the same age as Izuku. Her attire was similar to the first girls, only she had a light red tank top that revealed a bit of her sports bra and short jeans that stopped just above her knees.

The girl with the earlobes seamed to be in pain. “Don’t give up yet, Kyoka! We’re almost done for the day!” the taller girl encouraged.

“I… can’t… keep up!”

Suddenly, the earlobe girl, Kyoka, tripped on something and began to fall. She screamed, closing her eyes, but nothing broke her fall. “You okay?” Opening her eyes, Kyoka saw that Izuku had caught the microwave, which helped stop her fall.

“Uh, yeah. Thanks.”

Izuku and Kyoka put down the microwave next to a trash bin… which had several other microwaves, an old refrigerator, and a couple bags of scrap next to it. “Uh, w-what are you guys doing?” Izuku asked them.

“Just cleaning up the beach,” the other girl answered.

“That beach?” Izuku pointed at the giant piles of trash that litter the beach. “I’ve heard that because of the ocean currents things dumped into the water wash up here. People use that so they can illegally dump their trash. Why are you cleaning it?”

“Well, we’re trying to clean it up as a workout. We’re applying to U.A. in a few months.” Izuku’s eyes widen in surprise when the other girl said this. “A friend recommended it, saying it would also help give back to the community, which is what heroes from before the rise of Quirks did.”

“You’re applying to U.A. too?” he said.

“Yep…” Kyoka panted. “But… I might… die… before then…”

“You lasted this long, so you’ll be fine,” said the well-endowed girl. “Anyway, I’m Yaoyorozu Momo,” she gestured to Kyoka, who was still panting. “And this is Jiro Kyoka.” Kyoka simply waved as she drank the water. “And you are?”

“Oh! I-I’m M-Midoriya I-I-Izuku.” Izuku stuttered causing the two girls to laugh a little. He then blinked as realization dawned on him. “I think I know you two. Weren’t you saved from a sludge villain by All Might a few months ago?”

Momo gave a nervous laugh. “Yeah. It hasn’t been easy these last few months, and not just because of the training…”

Izuku then looked back at the trash-covered beach, wondering why he or Rias didn't think of it. “You’ve been trying to clean up the beach by the U.A. exams? How long have you been at it?”

“Around five months now,” Momo answered. “We started in May.”

“Oh wow. That sounds nearly impossible.”

“I said the same thing…” Kyoka grunted.

“We can get it done in time,” said Momo. “If we keep moving forward, we’ll both be in U.A. before we know it!”

Izuku smiled at them. They were just as serious as getting into U.A. as him. “I’m sure you two can do it. We all will if we work hard.” Izuku said clenching his fist. “I need to get going. Good luck,” Izuku then continued on his jog. “Maybe I’ll stop by and help sometime.”

“Please DO!”

Izuku couldn't help but chuckle at Kyoka’s plea. As he continued on his jog, his mind wandered back to the girls, wondering who their friend was.

Izuku then tripped.

_‘Oh great.’_

Izuku closed his eyes as he took a nose dive, expecting to hit the hard ground… only to not. Opening his eyes, Izuku gasped when he realized he was floating in the air, a brown-haired girl next to him.

“Are you ok?” The girl asked in a sweet voice as Izuku started struggling in midair. Izuku steadied himself as the girl set him back on the ground.

She was more or less the same height as him with her hair styled in a bob cut with 2 bangs going along the side of her face on each side. She had brown eyes and a perma-blush on her face. But her most distinguishing feature was the animal paw-like pads on her fingers. She was wearing a pink t-shirt and black shorts and white loafers.

“T-t-t-thanks f-for that.” Izuku stuttered.

“It’s no problem!” She said nicely. “I’m sorry for using my Quirk on you without asking but it was kinda my fault you fell like that.”

“Huh?” Looking back, Izuku saw that what he tripped on was a light pink 1000 gram dumbbell. “You doing training here?”

“Yeah! Trying to prep for the U.A. entrance exam.”

Izuku blinked a few times. “You’re the third girl today I’ve meet who’s training for U.A.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. There’s these two girls trying to clean up Dagoba Beach for their training.”

The girl blinked a few times. “That… sounds impossible.”

“I said the same thing.”

The two had a quick chuckle. “Oh, I’m Uraraka, by the way. Uraraka Ochako.”

“I’m M-Midoriya Izuku,” the two chatted for a bit, Ochako explaining that she’s practicing lifting heavy objects for as long as she can so she won’t get sick, demonstrating with her putting away her equipment by floating them into her bag. Izuku immediately noted that her Quirk can easily be used in rescue operations with how it can lift both injured people but also debris, both surprising and impressing the brunet.

Eventually, Ochako needed to leave. “See you later,” she said before heading off. _‘He sure was cute!’_ she thought to herself as she left.

Izuku was about to continue his jog when he realized something. _‘I JUST TALKED TO THREE DIFFERENT GIRLS LIKE IT WAS NOTHING!’_

 

* * *

 

A little while later, Izuku was hanging onto a low branch, doing pull-ups. “…96 …97 …98 …99 …1-”

“Hawaau!”

“Huh?” Izuku looked toward the source, and saw a girl on the ground, having apparently tripped. It was a girl of medium height, but instead of hair, she had green, thorn-covered vines. The vines were of manageable length, just above her waist, though she had a light blue scarf with a floral border covering her head. Her attire consisted of a long-sleeved, ankle-length green dress along with a turquoise shawl, and light green boots.

In front of her was an opened suit case, bits of clothes spewed about, along with a silver cross necklace. “Owww…” she groaned. “Why did I trip like that?”

Izuku, without hesitation, ran over to her, offering his hand. “Hey, you okay?”

“Yes, thank you,” she said as she took Izuku’s hand. Now that she was standing up, Izuku saw that she was a little taller than him. She gave a slight bow before turning to her scattered belongings, sighing.

“I can help pick this up,” Izuku offered.

“Oh! Thank you.”

It didn’t take long for them to pick up the discarded clothing. But the silver cross gave Izuku some trouble. Looking at it alone gave him chills. When he tried to touch it, his hand felt like it was on fire. Even when he picked it up by the chain his hand felt like it was over a hot stove. Izuku did his best to ignore the pain, giving the cross back to the girl.

“Thank you very much, sir,” she said, taking the cross from Izuku.

“It wasn’t any problem,” Izuku replied. _‘My hand’s numb.’_ “Are you traveling?”

“Not exactly,” she put the necklace away in her bag. “I’m trying to find the church in this city… and got lost.”

 _‘Church? Does she mean the old church near the Korusanto ward? Isn’t it abandoned?’_ “I think I know where the church is. Would you like me to take you?”

The girl’s eyes widen in surprise before she smiled. “Really?! Oh, thank you! This must be an act of God’s divine grace!” She said, making a sign of the cross with her hand.

A sharp pain rocketed through Izuku’s head, causing him to gag.

“Ah! What’s wrong?!”

“N-Nothing!” Izuku said, the pain gone now. “Just a little migraine! There’s nothing wrong with me! Let’s go!” With that Izuku led the way, with the confused girl not far behind. But before they could get far, the sound of a young boy crying caught their attention. Without hesitating, the girl ran over to him. “H-Hey!”

“Are you okay?” she asked. The boy only kept crying. A large cut on his knee was the case of the boy's distress. “It’s okay.” She placed her hands over the boy’s knee. Two small, silver rings with a light green gem appeared on her middle fingers. A light green glow then appeared over the boy’s knee. Izuku’s arm suddenly began to ache.

Izuku’s and the boy’s eyes widened as the cut disappeared along with the glow.

“There, all better,” said the girl. She was right. The boy's knee was completely healed.

“Oh, wow. Thanks, onee-chan!”

As the boy ran off, waving goodbye and thanking her while doing so, Izuku asked, “Was that… a Quirk?”

“Oh, no,” she replied. “It’s a miraculous power to heal granted to me by God.”

Izuku realized that only one other thing that light could’ve been: a Sacred Gear. _‘She has a Sacred Gear, too? Is that why my hand ached like that?’_ He looked at his left hand, which held his Sacred Gear. _‘She’s able to both freely summon it and use its power. Right now I can only summon mine for about ten minutes, and even then I still don’t know what it can do.’_

Clenching his fist, Izuku and the girl continued on their way to the church.

 

* * *

 

After about twenty minutes of walking, the two reached the edge of the Korusanto ward, the church in plain view atop a hill. “Ah! This is it! I’m so glad!” the girl exclaimed.

Izuku, however, had a harsh chill running throughout his body. _‘My body won’t stop shaking… It must be because of how close I am to the church.’_ “Well, I should be going now…”

“No, wait!” she gripped hold of Izuku’s arm. “Let me repay you for your help. Do you want to stay for tea?”

“Uh, I can’t,” Izuku did his best to stop his body from shaking. “I need to get home soon, or my mom will get worried.” He wasn’t exactly lying. “We never properly introduced each other, did we? My name’s Midoriya Izuku.”

“I’m Shiozaki Ibara,” she bowed. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Midoriya-san. I hope to see you again soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: Decided to remove Toshinaoi from the chapter.


	4. Priest, Exorcist, and Fruitcake! Oh my!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY CRAP! Over 1000 hits and 48 kudos after only 3 chapters?! Thanks everyone!

Once he got back to the club room, Rias had inquired why he was late. Once Izuku explained what happened, she wasn’t exactly pleased.

“You cannot go near a church ever again!” Izuku hung his head low, muttering ‘sorry' as Rias lectured him. “To devils like us, the church is enemy territory. Simply stepping into one would cause major problems for both angels and devils. It wouldn’t be surprising if you were stabbed by a spear of light if you got too close.” Izuku notably flinched at that. “And never get near anyone who has any sort of relationship with the church. Especially priests and exorcists.”

“I’m sorry…” Izuku muttered for the tenth time.

“You should be. Priests and exorcists are our mortal enemies, and it’s likely at least one was near that church. They’ve been blessed by God, so they have the power to destroy us. A devil hit by a divine holy power like that will be completely destroyed… with no hope of returning. This is something very important! Do you understand?”

“…I’m sorry, Rias-san.”

Rias simply sighed. “I’m just glad you’re safe. Just promise you’ll be more careful from now on.”

“Yes, I promise Rias-san.”

 

* * *

 

The next day after school, Izuku spent most of the day training with Rias, though for some reason Rias seemed slightly… off. Izuku wanted to ask why, but lugging around two tires with her sitting on them made that difficult. After training had finished, Rias asked him to hand out flyers for the day and report back to the club room, not giving Izuku a chance to ask.

As he placed the last few flyers in the mailboxes of an apartment complex, Izuku went over what happened to him over the past week in his head. _‘I’m still having a hard time believing it. Just last week, I was a normal Quirkless kid who dreamed of being a hero. Then I meet someone who said they could help me achieve my dream, only for them to reveal they’re a fallen angel and kill me.’_

 _‘Then I was revived as a devil by Rias-san, which also makes me her servant. And the reason I was killed is because I have a Sacred Gear that I had no idea about. But now that I have a chance, I’m working hard for the devils to become a hero despite having absolutely no power at all. It’s almost like nothing’s changed.’_ Once he finished passing out the flyers, Izuku got on his bike and rode towards U.A. High. _‘Weirdly, I’m starting to enjoy all this. Rias-san is beautiful, Koneko-chan is kinda cute if a little cold, and Kiba-san is really nice. It’s nice to have friends again.’_

“Speaking of Rias-san, why was she acting so off today?”

It didn’t take very long for Izuku to reach the club building at U.A.’s campus. “I’m back!” Izuku called as he entered the clubroom.

“Ah, welcome back, Midoriya-kun.” Yuuto greeted, just moments away from stepping into the teleportation pentagram.

“You finished passing out the flyers?” Rias asked, looking over a small stack of papers at her desk.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good work,” she handed Izuku a map. “Sorry for dropping this on you, but can you do this summon tonight? Normally Koneko-chan handles this but she’s currently swamped at the moment.”

“Sure.”

 

* * *

 

The sun had fully set over the horizon as Izuku rode his bike through the streets. The streets were very empty, as was the case in most suburban areas during the night.

Following the map Rias had given him, Izuku arrived at a relatively simple home. Hopping off his bike, Izuku walked up to the door and rang the bell. “Hello, I’m a devil of the Gremory Clan!” Izuku called to the house. “I’m here because of a summon!” There was no answer. He furrowed his eyebrows as he reached for the door.

His heart suddenly clenched.

“Somethings not right…” he whispered, almost fearfully. It was the same feeling he had when he showed Ibara to the church.

Izuku slowly opened the door, the creaking sound echoing in the dark. He didn’t even bother to remove his sneakers as he slowly crept inside looking around the room. The house was dark, very dark, the only source of light coming from the living room. But he had a better time looking through it a lot better than when he was human. He was somewhat thankful for that. That didn’t keep him from stepping into something wet and sticky.

“What the…?” Izuku gasped. He raised his foot and wiped his fingers on the soles. Already, he could smell the scent from the liquid. His eyes widened as he realized what it was.

It was blood. Fresh blood. And it was all over the room, leading to a male body nailed to the wall… At least, Izuku _presumed_ it was a man.

It’s actually hard to tell things like gender when _their skin was peeled off!_

Their organs and blood seeped out of the large dissection hole in their torso and their arms and legs were pinned to the wall by large nails, legs together and arms as far apart as possible. A crucifixion.

Izuku nearly vomited at the sight. Written above their heads in red was a message: **‘DIVINE PUNISHMENT FOR SHITTY SINNERS WHO HAVE GIVEN UP ON HUMANITY!’**

“Holy shit!” Izuku muttered shock.

That was when someone else in the room said, “Punish the wicked. Words to live by. Yes, wise words to heed from a holy man!” Turning around, Izuku saw someone sitting on the couch. He had short white hair, red eyes, and dressed in the coat and outfit of a priest. However, Izuku could tell there was nothing about this man that was holy at all due to the wicked smile on his face and the bloody knife he was holding in his left hand. “Freed Sellzen, monster hunter, executioner, and exorcist, at your service,” he introduced himself as he stood up and bowed, before dancing like a nutcase. “And you are the scared little devil pussy this priest is going to exorcise next!”

“A priest?!” Izuku gasped.

“Yep. I’m from a certain exorcism organization you may have heard of.”

“Then you… did all this? What did he do to have this happen to him?!”

“He was asking for it,” justified Freed, “Making a contract with a devil like you is proof that he’s done being human. End of the line, sinner!” he laughed. “So I had to give him an extreme makeover! Which I’m gonna do to you!”

Freed suddenly jumped into Izuku’s face with a lear. He didn't realize that the mad priest was so up close until just another second later, and quickly jumped back. “W-what?”

“Hm, from the looks of things you’re fresh meat,” Freed licked his lips, creeping Izuku out. “Well, there’s no need to tell me your name! You’re just going to die soon anyway!”

“You killed him just because he was talking to devils?!” Izuku demanded.

“Well, duh. Do I haveta spell it out for you? Making contracts with devils is a sin after all. Devils use the dark desires of humanity to gain power. Humans who make pacts with devils are scum, lower than dirt. You get it? No? Well, I guess that makes you scum too,” Freed lectured, still grinning.

“If you’re a servant of God, why would you kill another human so easily!” Izuku shouted, angry.

“Hoooo?” Freed wondered out loud like a child, “The fuck is this? Is this puny devil trying to lecture me? I already told you why. What? Do you need a crash course for this shit?” He walked over to the head of the victim and kicked it. “Fine, I’ll say it again. Devils feed on human desire. The humans who give you substance can’t be considered human anymore. To that end, I kill them in order to save them from becoming tainted even further.” He kicked the headed into the wall, causing it to splatter and cause more gore. “That’s kindness. Amen~.”

“Kindness? That’s not kindness, that’s pure evil!” Izuku growled, clenching his fist, summoning his Sacred Gear subconsciously.

“Huh?” Freed wondered, looking at Izuku. “Ha…HAHAHAHA! Oh, that’s rich! A devil telling me, a priest, what’s evil? HAHA! Are you mad? You mad, bro? You mad?” He licked the blood from his knife. “Ah whatever,” Freed sighed, pulling out a silver pistol, “It won’t matter once I turn you into swiss cheese! Totally awesome, isn’t it!” Freed laughed manically as he fired his gun. Izuku raced to the side to avoid the light bullets before he stopped at the wall.

Freed then threw his knife, the blade embedding itself into Izuku’s leg. Izuku screamed at the pain, which caused Freed to laugh even more. The nutty priest then aimed his gun.

_*BANG! BANG! BANG!*_

The bullets fired from the gun hit Izuku in his stomach. Izuku gasped in pain as the shock from the blast echoed through his body.

“AHAHAHA! You like that?” Freed laughed, walking over to Izuku and kicking him down. Freed then sloppily removed the knife from Izuku’s leg. Then in an increasingly dickish maneuver, Freed smashed his foot onto the gunshot wounds. Izuku yelled painfully from the impact, feeling the pain rip through his body. Freed only laughed even more as he grinned his heel. “Tell me, do you bleed? YOU WILL!” Freed grinned, pointing the gun at Izuku.

A blur of motion suddenly pushed Freed off of Izuku.

“Gah, damnit!” Freed groaned, rubbing his head as he stood up. “Shit, Ibara! Why’d you go and do that?”

Izuku recognized the name. “Ibara?” he groaned, setting up and holding his injuries. Looking over, he saw a familiar head of thorns standing in front of him with her arms out like a shield. “Shiozaki-san?”

“Please, stop this!” Ibara pleaded, “Why are you doing this to Midoriya-san?”

“Eh? You know this guy?” Freed blinked, picking his ear. “Isn’t it obvious? He’s a devil after all.”

“Huh…?” Ibara muttered, slowly looking back at Izuku, “Midoriya-san is… a devil?”

Izuku, still clutching his wound, simply lower his head in shame, “I didn’t mean to deceive you…”

Freed only laughed crazily, “HAHAHA! Oh man, how fucking hysterical! Is this forbidden love between a devil and a sister? Seriously? Are you serious?” His face turned deadly serious in an instant, “That’s right. This guy is the shittiest of shitty devils. Really, you didn’t know? Well, that’s fine. He’s about to end up like that shit stain there.”

Ibara looked at where Freed was pointing. Her eyes widened as tears welled up, looking on at the skinned body nailed to the wall. “What…? This isn’t…” she stammered in horrified shock, collapsing to the floor, her hands covering her mouth.

“Oh, that’s right. This is the first time you’ve seen a corpse, huh?” Freed grinned. “In that case, take a good look! This is the fate of any human seduced by a devil!”

“You son of a…” Izuku snarled, trying to force himself to his feet.

“That’s the way it is! Devils and humans can never coexist! And the church- hoho! Don’t even get me started! Not to mention we’re all heretics that God himself abandoned, like the fallen angels! And this fucker here is part of the job description!” Freed snapped his fingers impatiently. “Come on, hurry up with the trap!”

Ibara only stood up and stood between Freed and Izuku.

“Hey. Hey, hey, hey, hey. What the fuck?” Freed asked, looking unamused.

“Father, please let him go,” Ibara begged. “To aimlessly kill people who have been led astray by devils… that’s just wrong!”

“What the fuck?! You too, you shitty maiden?!” Freed demanded, grabbing her by the collar of her dress, “Did you already forget? All devils are full of shit! He’s not buddy-buddy with you!”

“There may be good devils as well!” Ibara cried, “I used to think all devils were evil, but after meeting Midoriya-san, I’ve learned that there are good devils too!”

“Shut up!”

The next thing that happened cause Izuku’s blood to boil.

The asshole backhanded Ibara on the face!

“BASTARD!” Izuku shouted, his vision turning red. He didn't get far as his wounds forced him back down, “Ah! Damn it!” Unbeknown to Izuku, the green jewel on his Sacred Gear began to glow green.

Freed pinned Ibara down by the throat as he reached down and tore open her dress, leaving only her bra left. “Even if the boss told me not to kill you, there could still be something you can do to calm me down,” Freed smirked, squeezing Ibara’s breasts. The poor girl flinched and gasped from the squeezing, “What do you think? You’re still a virgin, so how about I turn you from a maiden to a broken woman?”

“Dragon Shot!”

“Eh?” Freed looked back just in time to see Izuku building a green ball of energy from his hand. The shot fired and hit Freed in the chest, knocking him through the wall and away from Ibara.

Izuku panted heavily as the gem in his Sacred Gear stopped glowing, “I’m finally started to figure this thing out,” he said, tiredly.

Ibara quickly got up and ran over to Izuku. “You’re hurt…” she said softly, looking at his wounds.

“Pain’s… an old friend," Izuku joked, wincing in pain, “Ow…”

Ibara slowly crawled up to him, “Hold still.” She held her hands carefully over his wounds, not even touching it. Her hands suddenly glowed as a bright green aura surrounded them and washed over the wound. Relief came over his face as he could feel his injuries and the blood fade away.

“Holly whoa… I’m feeling better now,” Izuku blinked, slapping where he was hit just to be sure. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Ibara nodded slowly, smiling shyly. “It’s the least I can do for helping me yesterday.”

Izuku then noticed the large bruise on Ibara’s cheek, where Freed had struck her. “You’re hurt.”

“It’s fine,” she said. “And you were worst.”

The two had a quick laugh.

The moment was suddenly ruined by a noise coming from the wall. Izuku and Ibara turned, watching Freed crawl out of the hole made from Izuku’s Dragon Shot. “Oh, right. I still gotta kill you,” he huffed.

Ibara stood up and got in front of Izuku. “I won’t let you hurt him,” she said.

“Oh yeah? And what are you gonna do about i-” Ibara clasped her hands together over her chest. Without warning, her vines shot out and rushed toward Freed, ensnaring him. “The fuck?!”

“Father Freed Sellzen. Your sins are unforgivable. God will make you pay for the evils you’ve done,” she said.

**Ibara Shiozaki, Quirk: Vines. She can control and stretch out her hair vines, as well as detaching them at will.**

Izuku had a look of shock and amazement on his face. He’d figured Ibara’s Quirk had something to do with her vine hair, but he didn’t know she could make them grow or control them so easily.

Freed only laughed. “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch, kid!” A shimmering sword of light suddenly emerged from the vines. Freed then cut himself free. Ibara and Izuku’s eyes widened in shock as Freed aimed the blade at them. “Surprise~! Bet you didn’t know I had a real-life lightsaber, huh?”

Ibara was about to trap Freed with her vines again but stopped when Izuku stood up and got in front of her. “Midoriya-san…!?”

“Oh! You wanna go first, do ya? Fine by me!” Freed hunched to the ground, his tongue hanging out of his sadistic smile. “I was planning to use you to beat the world record for hole-iest corpse~! But it looks like I’ll be going for the record for finest mincemeat instead~!”

“Mind if we crash the party then?”

Izuku’s eyes widened at the voice. Looking around, he turned and found Koneko, Yuuto, and Rias just stepping out of a magic circle. Koneko looked at the bloody sight with distance, while Yuuto seemed to cast a hateful glare at Freed. Rias, however, looked worried, especially after seeing Ibara right behind him.

“Izu-kun?” Rias asked, walking up to him, “What happened?”

“I came here for the summon, but I found the customer dead. All thanks to that fruitcake over there,” Izuku explained, pointing at Freed.

“I see…" Rias nodded, her expression saddened. She rested her head against his, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Thank goodness you’re okay.”

“Senpai…?” Izuku blushed.

“Oh, oh! It’s a family of devils, huh?” Freed laughed, hunching down with his tongue hanging. “Cool! This is super cooool! I’m gonna totally score with this! And aren’t you a pretty one! Can I fuck you up, too?”

Yuuto sweat-dropped. “For a priest, that’s quite a mouth you have. Doesn’t matter, though…” he said in an uncharacteristically cold tone.

“Sorry for being so vulgar. How about I make it up to you by chopping that pretty boy head off!” Freed blazed across the room with his sword swinging. Eyes narrowed, Yuuto bent his legs before he suddenly blurred out of sight.

“He disappeared!?” Ibara gasped.

Yuuto reappeared before Freed, this time armed with a sword cloaked in darkness. The two blades clashed against each other as both young men tried to overpower the other. “Attacking just like that out of the blue,” Yuuto mocked, “You have no class.”

“Hah? I’m supposed to give shits about that? Especially from some shitty devils?” Freed laughed. Freed quickly caught on to his blade flicker, losing power, so he took the smart route as jumped back from Yuuto's oncoming slash. “The double fuck?!”

“Sorry, but this sword is special,” Yuuto told him, gripping the hilt with two hands. “It can devour the light.”

**Kiba Yuuto, Sacred Gear: Sword Birth. He can create any demonic sword he can imagine and imbue them with special properties.**

“Heh, a Sacred Gear user. Should’ve guessed,” Freed sighed.

“Kiba-san has a Sacred Gear, too?” Izuku gasped. A swift pain suddenly hit him in his leg.

“Try not to move too much, Midoriya-san,” said Ibara. “You’re leg’s still hurt.”

“Hurt?” Rias repeated.

“Yeah. Freed stabbed me with his knife and then shot me, but Shiozaki-san healed me.”

Slowly, Rias turned toward the vulgar priest. “Is that right?”

“Yep!” Freed giggled. “Truth is, I was planning to carve up every inch of his body after I filled him with holes, but then that shitty maiden decided to get in the way~!”

**BOOM!**

“Huh?” Freed looked to the side, finding a gigantic hole in the wall just centimeters from his head, a trail of destructing leading all the way to the street. The source of the blast was Rias’ hand, her whole body glowed a dark red.

“I will not forgive anyone who harms my servants, especially not some vulgar stray priest such as you,” Rias growled, her voice both calm yet dripping with rage at the same time.

Both Izuku and Ibara trembled at the display. _‘Rias-san is scary!’_

Freed, however, seemed unfazed. “Whoo-eee! That was really somethin’! Good thing I know when to fold em!” Freed said, pulling something out of his robes. “I’m getting the fuck out of Dodge before they arrive to reinforce the ambush.”

“‘They’?” Rias questioned.

“Oh yeah. There are totally two other fallen angels at least and lots of priests coming this way,” Freed said. “Have fuuuuuuuuuuuun~”

Freed smashed something against the ground, blinding the youths with an intense light that erupted in front of him.

“Agh!” Izuku rubbed his eyes, trying to get rid of the spots coloring his vision before it returned to normal. Freed was gone. “A flash bang?”

“…Buchou… the fallen angels are coming,” Koneko suddenly spoke, sensing a foreboding presence.

“Tch!” Rias frowned, turning around to prepare another portal. “We need to leave.”

“Rias-san, wait!” Izuku alerted, gesturing toward Ibara, “We should take her with us!”

“I’m sorry, Izu-kun,” Rias apologized, looking over her shoulder, “My portals can only transport whoever I have in my Peerage. She won't survive the magic.”

“But… isn’t there another way?”

“I’m sorry, but there isn't."

“Not if I take her on my bike!”

“But she’s aligned with the church,” Yuuto said, “By default, she’s our enemy.”

“It didn’t stop her from healing me. I’m not going to abandon her for petty reasons like that,” Izuku frowned. Izuku then took Ibara’s hand and ran toward the front entrance. “I’ll meet you guys at the club room!”

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Rias prayed as she, Koneko, and Yuuto vanished in the portal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you wondering about the “My Hero Academia and High School DxD are the main series” tag, you’ll find out next chapter.


	5. Shiozaki Ibara, the Holy Maiden

News of the murder had already spread. The police arrived at the house not long after Izuku and Ibara left. There was no one else remaining at the house save for the corpse. It was chopped up so badly that it would be very difficult to identify. Then there was the message written in blood. Another religious fanatic it appeared to them. It also seemed that the murderer managed to flee before anything else happened. He was still out there.

Izuku had already contacted his mom, telling her that he may be late coming home. He promised her that he was safe and unharmed and that he had just met up with Rias and that he would be staying with her until the heat died down. He was in the clubroom sitting on one of the couches, busy cleaning out the blood from the soles of his sneakers with bleach. Ibara was in the shower room, washing the sweat and blood from her body as best as she could. Izuku didn't really blame her for what she had gone through.

“It was very foolish of you to bring her here,” Rias said, handing Izuku a bucket of water.

“Why? Just because she’s with the church?” Izuku asked, taking the bucket and using it to wash the bleach from his sneakers. “You said that those who are on the side of God are dangerous to us. Is that why you're being resistant?”

“It’s more complicated than that,” Rias sighed. “That girl… is a heretic. That means she’s in league with the fallen angels.”

“She’s a heretic?” Izuku repeated, confused.

“There are several reasons for why those who were once faithful turn rogue. As they have nowhere else to turn, they usually form an alliance with the fallen angels for protection,” Rias explained, sitting next to him, “There is probably some reason for why that girl is with the fallen angels.”

“Oh…” Izuku sighed, looking down.

“Look, I sympathize with you. I really do,” Rias said sternly, “But we can’t get involved with the affairs of fallen angels. If we do it will cause an unwanted incident. The best I can do is give her a place to rest for the night. After that, she’s on her own.”

“…I understand,” Izuku and Rias turned and say Ibara stepping out of the shower room, a towel wrapped around her vines and wearing the spare clothes Rias had provided her. Next to her was a tray table, her torn clothing folded neatly on it. “Thank you for allowing me to use the shower,” Ibara bowed, “It was really gracious of you.”

“Shiozaki-san, I need to know,” Izuku began, “Why were you with that psycho?”

“Father Selzen?” Ibara questioned.

“Yeah, that’s what I want to know. You don’t seem like the type to hang around bloodthirsty psychopaths,” Izuku replied.

“…I didn’t have any other choice,” Ibara admitted, looking sad. “Three weeks ago I was excommunicated from my original church after I healed a devil out of free will. I don’t have anywhere else to turn to.”

“You healed a devil without question?” Rias blinked, looking rather surprised, “Why?”

“He was injured very badly, and I couldn’t just turn away someone in need,” Ibara answered. “As I was healing him, I was caught by the local priest. After that, I was deemed a witch and casted out.”

“But there’s more to it, isn’t there?” Izuku asked. “You healing abilities are a Sacred Gear, right?”

“Why yes,” Ibara nodded, sitting down on the sofa across from Izuku, “It’s called Twilight Healing. See, I used to live in a small village near Yokohama. My parents ran a flower shop, and we’d go to church all the time. I even had dreams of being a hero one day. But when I was eight, I found an injured puppy near the church. I prayed as hard as I could for it to get better. That was when I discovered my healing abilities when the puppy recovered instantly. Soon after, the church regarded me as a Saint and I was given the title as Holy Maiden. Ever since I used my powers to heal the sick and the elderly. Many people lived longer lives thanks to my healing and I'm grateful to the Lord for giving me this power.”

Her face suddenly took on a somber look. “But because of my status and Sacred Gear, I was guarded heavily and treated well, and was seen as a higher being. No children would play with me, my parents were hardly allowed to see me, and I became lonely. After healing that devil, my Holy Maiden title was revoked and I was called a witch by those who once worshiped me. My parents… did everything they could so I could leave that place…”

“So you came to Musutafu to start over,” Izuku said, frowning sadly. He couldn’t help but feel very sorry for the girl.

“I see,” Rias nodded slowly, “I’m really sorry to hear that.”

The door opened and Yuuto and Koneko stepped in, “I managed to finish the search as soon as the police arrived. It seems that the fallen angels have retreated for now,” Yuuto announced.

“I see,” Rias nodded. “I guess that eases our troubles for the moment.”

Nothing more was said that night.

 

* * *

 

The next day was a Sunday and so there was no school. Izuku took the time to show Ibara around the city as he contemplated what to do next. Ibara looked around the city with awe and wonder, almost like a child. It was then that Izuku realized that Ibara likely never stepped out of her hometown in a long time.

“This is so great!” Ibara smiled. She looked around the street and noticed a colorful building. “Hey, what's that?”

“Just an arcade that recently opened,” Izuku answered. “Wanna have a look?”

“Yeah!”

Izuku took Ibara to the arcade, entering through the sliding doors. Passing by the vending machines and going through a small hall, the two were greeted with the sight of a multitude of kids their age playing just as many games all over the place, including 1v1 fighting consoles, dance-off platforms, and shooting stations. There was even an area for air hockey and foosball and the like for those who prefer a more interactive experience. All in all, it appeared to be a fairly high-standard arcade.

“Oh, wow!” The two played several games, including a dance game where Izuku lost. They soon came upon an aisle that housed a multitude of crane games. “Look at all the plushies they have!” Ibara exclaimed herself, gesturing wildly at the multitude of plush-filled machines.

“Do you want one?” Izuku asked.

“Uh, yes,” she said before a curious expression made its way on her face. “But I heard that it’s impossible to win at these games.”

“I believe you can win these sorts of games. All it takes is practice, a bit of skill, and luck. Which one do you want?” Izuku asked.

“I’m not sure. All of these animals are really cute, especially the green sheep with freckles and those adorable red booties on its feet. It kinda reminds me of you for some reason,” Ibara confessed while pointing at said plush, which Izuku had to admit that it bore a striking resemblance of him.

Izuku looked at the way the sheep was placed. _‘Hmm… I think I can manage this… it’s sticking up a little, so it shouldn’t be an issue to get it.’_ With a confident smile, the young man put a coin in the crane game and proceeded to grab the stuffed animal in question. As he predicted, it wasn’t really difficult thanks to it sticking out, and after successfully managing to obtain the prize in question, he proceeded to give it to Ibara, who let out an excited gasp as soon as it was in her arms.

“Oh my God! Midoriya-san, thank you! You didn’t have to do this!” The vine haired girl exclaimed, hugging the precious sheep tightly.

“I know, but I wanted to,” said Izuku, doing his best to ignore the slight headache he got.

 

* * *

 

Later, the two made their way to the park where they first meet. The two were having a conversation, mainly Ibara asking exactly why Izuku became a devil. Izuku answered that he was killed by a fallen angel named Raynare. The mention of Raynare made Ibara flinched, but Izuku didn’t notice. For when they were about to leave…

“Come on Kyoka, this is for your own good!”

“Get off me, Momo!”

Looking to the left, they looked with curiosity as they saw a girl with strange earlobes doing push-ups…with another girl sitting on her. Izuku recognized them right away. “Yaoyorozu-san? Jiro-san?”

“Hm? Oh, hello Midoriya-san!” Momo greeted with a smile and wave.

“What are you doing?” Izuku asked.

“Just helping Kyoka get a little extra training in for the day. We finished our training at the beach earlier, but Kyoka wanted to train a little more.”

“I was doing fine until you sat on me!”

Momo only giggled at her friends protest. She then noticed Ibara standing behind Izuku. “Who’s this?”

“Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Shiozaki Ibara,” she said with a polite bow.

Momo smiled. “I’m Yaoyorozu Momo, and this is Jiro Kyoka,” she said as she stood up.

“Oh, thank God,” Kyoka said as a literal weight was lifted off her. She then noticed Ibara next to Izuku and blinked. “Oh? What’s this?” Kyoka gave a small smirk that resembled a cat’s smile, her eyes ogling Ibara as she stood up, “So you’ve already got a girlfriend?”

“I-i-it’s n-not like t-that!” Izuku quickly denied, blushing brightly. “I’m j-j-just s-showing her a-around t-town.”

“Sure, sure. We’ll go with that," Kyoka laughed.

“Hey, I thought I recognized that curly hair!” a familiar female voice cut in. Izuku, Momo, Kyoka, and Ibara looked behind them to see Uraraka Ochako running up to them.

“Oh, Uraraka-san!” said Izuku.

“You know her?” Ibara asked.

Ochako then noticed the three girls with Izuku. “Who are they?”

“I’m Yaoyorozu Momo, a pleaser to meet you.”

“Jiro Kyoka,” she then gestured to Ibara. “That is Midoriya’s girlfriend.”

“G-girlfriend…?” Ochako stared blankly at Izuku and Ibara, both of whom were blushing.

“I-it’s n-n-not li-like that!” Izuku stuttered. “We’re just friends! I’m just showing her around town is all!”

“Girlfriend…?”

“You already said that…” Izuku muttered.

“I’m Shiozaki Ibara,” the vine-haired girl introduced. “I recently arrived in this city, and Midoriya-san was kind enough to show me around.”

“…Oh…” _‘Why did I feel so jealous?’_ Ochako asked herself. “It’s nice to meet you. All of you. I’m Uraraka Ochako.”

A little while later, and the girls were happily chatting among themselves, Izuku watching from a bench with a smile. _‘They sure are getting along well,’_ he thought to himself in relief. Ochako acting like a broken record for a minute really startled him. _‘I wonder why she acted like that?’_

Looking around, Izuku noticed someone standing on the edge of the building some feet behind them, their long sand-colored trench coat fluttering in the wind. It was hard to tell due to the distance, but it looked like the man had wavy short dark brown hair. He is quite tall and had a slim physique. Under the trench coat is a black vest over a striped dress shirt that is light blue in hue. He also had beige pants, dark brown shoes, and what looked like bandages wrapped around his arms.

“Huh? Who’s that?”

“Hm?” The girls turned their eyes to where Izuku was looking.

“What’s that guy doing?” Kyoka asked.

All of their eyes widened in horror as a realization came to them.

“Oh no!”

“Don’t tell me…!”

The man, with a calm and content face, leaped off the building.

“He JUMPED!” Ibara cried in shock.

Without thinking, Momo and Izuku ran to where the man was going to land. Taking off most of her clothes, Momo produced a large foam bed from her body. “Midoriya-san!”

“Right!” Izuku grabbed hold of one end of the bed while Momo took hole the other. “Shiozaki-san!”

Without hesitating, Ibara used her vines to raise the two up. The man landed onto the bed as they planned, but he soon bounced off it and fell to the ground.

“Oh no!” Ibara exclaimed, running to where the man landed, Kyoka and Ochako close behind. Izuku and Momo, once she put her shirt back on, leaped down to the man.

“Is he okay!?” Kyoka asked.

“He looks fine,” said Izuku. He was about to check for a pulse when the man’s eyes shot open. “Wha!”

Slowly, the man sat up.

“Uh, sir, are you okay?” Ochako asked.

“I made it…” he muttered. “Damnit!”

“Huh?!” the five teens all exclaimed.

“Tell me, are you the ones who interrupted my free fall?” he asked as he got up.

“‘Interrupted’?!” Kyoka asked. “Then, were you really…?”

“You don’t get it? I was trying to kill myself.”

“Suicide?!”

“Of course!” he said in a manner far too cheerful for someone who just attempted suicide. “And everything was going so great, but then you five showed up and ruined everything.”

Izuku could only stare at the man in confusion. _‘Is he scolding us for saving him?’_

“But it’s not entirely your fault,” the man continued. “My goal is to commit a perfectly clean suicide without being a burden to anyone. And I did trouble you, as such the fault lies with me. Is there any way for me to make it up to you?”

_*Growl!*_

Momo and Kyoka blushed, now realizing how hungry they were. “Sorry…”The other teens could only chuckle.

“Are you hungry?” the man asked, a blank look on his face.

Momo smiled sheepishly. “Well, after training all day, along with using my Quirk like that, I could use a meal.”

“I think we all could use one,” said Kyoka.

_*GROWL!!!*_

As if to prove her point, the second, much louder stomach growl came from the man. “How odd… I’m also hungry,” he said with the same blank look. “But I’m afraid I lost my wallet during the fall.”

“Huh? How does that work?” Uraraka asked.

“THERE YOU ARE YOU SUICIDAL MANIAC!!”

Everyone turned to the top of the building, seeing a tall and slim young man with dirty blonde hair that ended in a long ponytail and wearing glasses. His attire consists of a beige vest over a black long-sleeved dress shirt, a red ribbon tied into a bow around the collar, beige pants, and plain brown shoes. In his hand was a green notebook.

“Oh hey!” The guy the teens saved spoke up. “You found me! Nice work, Kunikida-kun!”

The other man, now identified as Kunikida, yelled back. “‘Nice work’?! Who caused all this work, you suicidal maniac?! I HAD IT WITH YOU CONSTANTLY DISRUPTING MY SCHEDULES WITH YOUR SHENANIGANS!!!”

“Hey, I have an idea,” the man said in his cheery voice, ignoring Kunikida’s rant. “Kunikida-kun’s a college of mine from work, so how about we have him treat you to a meal?”

“ **HEY, ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?!?!?!** ”

“So, what are your names?”

The five teens all introduced themselves, which seems to be happening a lot lately.

“Very good. What do you want to eat?” The man asked them.

“Uh, well, I know this noodle cart nearby,” said Ochako. “It’s both cheap and really good.”

“Alright, then let’s have Kunikida-kun treat you to thirty large bowls!”

“DON’T BE SO GENEROUS WITH _MY_ MONEY, DAZAI!”

“Dazai?” Ibara parroted.

“Yep, that’s my name,” the man, now ID’ed as Dazai, said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, my new friends. I’m Dazai Osamu.”

 

* * *

 

“You are such an idiot, Dazai!” Kunikida hissed, a vein on his head. He was looking through his notebook, which the teens now saw had the word ‘Ideal’ on it. They were all sitting at a picnic table, enjoying several bowls of ramen. “What kind of person goes ‘Wow, what a beautiful park!’ and jumps off the tallest building he could find in the middle of a job?! Now we’re late! I’ll have to revise our whole schedule…”

Dazai, as he finished slurping up his ramen, said, “You’re obsessed with your schedules and that notebook, Kunikida-kun.”

“This is not some day-planner!” Kunikida yelled, slamming his notebook onto the table. “This is an ideal! A guide to my life! And nowhere in this notebook does it say ‘my partner should be a suicidal maniac’!”

“You mean Dazai-san has tried to kill himself before?” Ibara asked.

“Be quiet! And nowhere in my projected expenses does it say ‘treat some snot-nosed kids to a million bowls of ramen’!”

“Eh, sorry…” said Momo, who has finished her fifth bowl. “Thank you for the food.”

“At least you’re showing gratitude after eating on my dime.”

“Uh… If you don’t mind me asking, what’s this job you’re doing?” Izuku asked.

“We’re detectives,” Dazai answered.

“Detectives?”

“Yeah,” Kunikida confirmed. “But we handle more than missing pets or cheating spouses. We’re from the Armed Detective Agency.”

Izuku’s eyes immediately shot up. He had heard of the ADA from the hero forums online. While they weren’t pro-heroes and based in Yokohama, the ADA was composed of highly capable fighters with scarily powerful Quirks and was famous for helping take down incredibly dangerous villains by locating their hideouts and learning their identities. He had heard that the director had a Quirk that allowed for anyone under his care to have control over their Quirk without harm. While not combative, it has huge advantages. Based on the looks of the other teens, they too had heard of the ADA and some of its accomplishments. Kyoka, however, looked somewhat skeptical. It soon became clear why.

“Incredible…” Dazai suddenly stood up, his eyes shining as he looked at the tree branches above them. “Those branches look sturdy enough to hold a person’s weight!”

“Don’t even think about hanging yourself in this park, Dazai,” Kunikida said without batting an eye.

“I’m not. I’m thinking of tree yoga.”

“Tree what now?”

“You haven’t heard? It’s a type of yoga done in trees. It’s perfect for releasing stress and relieving muscle cramps.”

“Whoa, that would be perfect for me!”

“It would! Quick, write it down.” And Kunikida did so. But after about two seconds, with a sly smile, Dazai said, “I’m messing with you.”

The pen Kunikida was using snapped. He slams his notebook into the table again before strangling Dazai, shaking him silly. “First my ungrateful partner leaps off a building! But does it end there? Nooo! Then I have to pay the bill for a bunch of kids who stuffed themselves! My schedule for today was _perfect_! But now I’ll have to start over from square-one!”

The teens all sweat-dropped as Kunikida continued his rant while shaking Dazai, who seemed unfazed. “Are these weirdoes really from the Armed Detective Agency?” Kyoka asked.

Izuku then spoke up. “Uh, so about this job…”

“WHAT?!” Kunikida screamed.

“S-sorry! Sorry! Sorry! I shouldn’t have asked! Of course, your jobs are classified!”

“Relax kid,” Kunikida let Dazai go and sat back down. “Today’s job doesn’t involve any secrecy. We’re investigating the religious murders that have been happening lately.”

Both Ibara and Izuku’s eyes widened upon hearing this.

“Oh yeah! I’ve heard about them,” said Ochako. “Wasn’t there a murder last night?”

“We already investigated that crime scene,” Kunikida opened his notebook, turning to the page about the previous night’s murder. “The body was pinned to the wall upside down and skinned. There was no sign of forced entry, but there were signs of a struggle after the victim was killed, with footprints left behind by multiple people, which suggests one or more people stumbled upon the murder before the police arrived. Other than that there isn’t much evidence.”

Kyoka looked to be on the verge of throwing up. “Thanks… for that image.”

“Ibara-chan? Izuku-kun? Is something wrong? You two are awfully quiet…” said Dazai.

The two teens were brought back to reality by Dazai’s question. “Uh, y-yeah! W-we’re f-fine!” Izuku stuttered.

“We’re just… a bit shocked that a priest would do such a thing is all,” said Ibara.

“…We never mentioned a priest being involved,” said Dazai, a small smirk on his face.

Ibara mentally slapped herself.

“Uh, we need to be going now!” said Izuku and he and Ibara got up. “Goodbye…”

“Not so fast.” Before they could leave Kunikida grabbed Izuku by the collar of his shirt and Ibara by her vines, which caused the girl to whimpered as her face erupted into a blush. “You two know something, don’t you?”

“I really like your sneakers, Izuku-kun!” said Dazai. “They’re blood red! And the soles look an awful lot like some of the footprints at the crime scene!”

Izuku began to sweat buckets.

Ochako, Momo, and Kyoka could only watch in shock as their two friends were being questioned.

Finally, Izuku spoke. “Kinda…” he said. “We’ll talk if you let us go.”

Kunikida dropped his grip on the two. “Alright then, tell us what you two know.”

Izuku explained everything they needed to know. About how he was supposed to deliver something for the murder victim, only to find him dead and his fight with Freed Sellzen. He also explained how Ibara wasn’t aware of Freed’s true nature until she saw the corpse herself. He left out anything involving Rias, devils, fallen angels and the like.

“A rogue priest with a fetish for dismembering people?” said Dazai. “You don’t hear that every day.”

“But back to you, Ibara. You said you used to work for him?”

“Yes,” said Ibara. “I didn’t really have any other choice. I was excommunicated from my church a few weeks ago and I had nowhere to go, so I came here. He and the others told me these were simple exorcisms. I had no idea they would kill people!”

“How long has this group been in the city?” Dazai asked.

“Uh, I’m not sure. I only just came to Musutafu a couple of days ago. But I think I overheard one of them mention they’ve been here for about a month.”

“That lines up,” Kunikida was looking in his notebook. “The first reported murder was on August 18th, little over a month ago.”

Momo then asked, “Shiozaki-san, what do you plan to do now?”

“I’m not sure…” said Ibara. “I want to leave them, but I’m afraid they’ll come after me.”

“Then let’s make a deal!” Ibara and the other teens looked to Dazai. “If you agree to work with us, we’ll arrange witness protection for you. How does that sound?”

Before Ibara could answer, a black feather fell to the ground. Kunikida noticed the feather and picked it up to examine it. “That’s strange,” he remarked. “I thought crows weren’t native to this area…” Suddenly, a large blast of light erupted behind Kunikida and exploded. He screamed out before he crashed into a tree and was knocked out cold.

“Kunikida-san!” Ibara gasped.

Quickly, more black feathers rained around them. It was becoming clear that they were not from birds. “My, how ominous…” said Dazai, a small smile on his face.

“What’s going on?!” Ochako asked as she and the other girls huddled near Izuku.

“Oh… it’s you. Not only are you still alive, but you’re also a devil now. How awful… Still, you’ve done well looking after Ibara up till now,” a new voice spoke up. Izuku felt a chill down his spine as he recognized the voice. From the way Ibara reacted, so did she. The group turned around as Raynare gracefully descended from the sky.

“Raynare… sama,” Ibara whispered.

“Not her…!” Momo gasped.

“What a lovely young lady,” said Dazai.

The fallen angel glared at Momo for a moment before her gaze turned to Ibara. “Ibara, I’m afraid your vacation is over,” Raynare said, her smile sickeningly sweet, “It’s time to come back. You know it’s useless to run. Don’t even try it.”

“…Begone,” Ibara frowned, “I want no part in the evil you and the other angels are up to. You’re killing people, all because they made pacts with devils. I know for a fact that God would not allow that to happen! I can’t trust you!”

“Don’t give me trouble. You know as well as I do that your Sacred Gear is very important to us. Don’t you know how long it took for me to find you? Please make this easy on yourself.”

“She already said she doesn’t want to be with you!” Izuku growled, standing in front of Ibara and the other girls protectively.

“Aww! Trying to be a hero now?” Raynare cooed, her face flushed. “I still remember our date that day! That sure was fun, huh? Especially the part where I killed you! But looks like I didn’t do a good enough job…” with a malicious smile, Raynare conjured a spear of light in her hand. “Shall I kill you again?”

“Now now, no need to flirt,” said Dazai. “Just tell us what you want.”

“It has nothing to do with some lowlife human like you,” Raynare hissed. “All I want is Ibara and her Twilight Healing.”

“Not gonna happen!” Izuku summoned his Sacred Gear, to the shock of Ochako, Momo, Kyoka, and especially Raynare.

“Whoa! Midoriya, what is that?” Kyoka asked.

“I’ll explain later.”

Raynare, after recovering from her shock, began to laugh. “ _That’s_ your Sacred Gear? Haha! When I heard you had a powerful Sacred Gear, I killed you because I thought you posed a threat! Looks like they made a mistake. That’s a garden-variety Sacred Gear called Twice Critical. It doubles its wielder’s power for a set amount of time, but… Even with that thing, you’re no real threat. Truly fitting for such a shitty low-class devil.”

Izuku looked at the bracer on his hand. _‘Is that what it does? Then what was that Dragon Shot- NO! This is NOT the time to overthink!’_

“You kids should run,” said Dazai. “I’ll handle her.”

“Wait, are you sur-”

_*SHINK!*_

Izuku gaged, a yellow spear of light pricing through his torso.

“Midoriya!” the four girls all gasped.

“How weak. That didn’t even constitute as stress relief.” Looking up, the group saw a tall and buxom woman with long, navy blue hair and brown eyes. Her outfit consisted of a violet, trench coat-like top with a wide collar, a matching miniskirt, and black heeled shoes. The trench coat top was open at her breasts, giving all a good view of her cleavage. Around her neck was a golden necklace. Just like Raynare, she too was being supported by a pair of black wings, marking her as a fallen angel.

“You couldn’t even repeal a spear of light that weak? Like I thought, a low-class devil… No, lower than that,” said Raynare.

“Hang on, Midoriya-san!” Ibara began to heal Izuku’s wound, with both Dazai and Raynare taking an interest.

“How interesting.”

 _‘Twilight Healing… I would love to get my hands on that Sacred Gear.’_ “Oh, Ibara~!” Raynare called. “If you don’t come with me, then we’ll have no choice but to kill your friends~!”

“Hey! Don’t we get a say in this!?” Kyoka yelled. A yellow light spear stabbing the ground next to her was her answer.

“Be quiet.”

“Thank you, Kalawarner,” Raynare returned her attention to Ibara. “Well?”

Once Ibara finished healing Izuku, she stood up. “…All right. I’ll go with you.”

“Huh?!”

“Midoriya-kun,” Ibara smiled. “I had fun today. Thank you… for being my friend.”

“Wait, Shiozaki-san!” Izuku called out as Ibara walked toward Raynare.

“Good girl,” Raynare said with a sweet smile. “After tonight’s ritual, all your worries will be over for good.”

 _‘Ritual…? What’s she planning…?’_ “Shiozaki, wait!”

Two red and silver magic circles appeared underneath the fallen angels as they both vanished inside. “Goodbye…” Ibara smiled sadly as she vanished into the portal.

“STOP!” Izuku yelled as he ran to the vanishing portal. But it was too late. The portals vanished before he could reach, leaving behind the sheep Izuku had won for Ibara earlier. Izuku began to cry. “How can I be a hero… if I can’t protect my friends?”

A hand gently patted his shoulder. It was Dazai. “You need to stay calm,” he said as Izuku’s Sacred Gear disappeared. “They could still be in the city. We’ll find them.”

Izuku nodded. “We’ll need help.”

 

* * *

 

Izuku ran back to the ORC room as fast as he could. The clock was against him and he didn't know what plans those fallen angels had for Ibara, and it was anything but good. He needed help. The police and heroes probably won’t believe him, which only meant…

“How many times do I have to repeat myself? No means no. I told you we can’t help that girl any more than we already have.”

Not the answer he was hoping for, but he had a feeling that she was going to say that. But at this point, he didn’t really have much of a choice. Something had to be done. But it seemed asking for help was much more difficult than he had anticipated.

“Rias-san, please. Raynare also mentioned something about a ritual,” Izuku pressed on. “What could she have meant by that?”

“Ritual? Hmm… It may be a ritual to take Shiozaki’s Twilight Healing. If that were to happen, then Shiozaki won’t survive,” Rias said. Izuku’s eyes widened, realizing that Ibara’s life was at stake for sure. “Still, I can’t permit you to go after them. If you’re killed by a fallen angel or even a priest for that matter, it means the end of your existence. There is no way you can come back from that. Game over.”

“But… can we just leave her like that?”

A small magic circle then appeared next to Rias’ ear before she could answer, making some kind of sound. From the way her eyes slowly rose, it appeared to be urgent. As soon as the circle disappeared, she reached around her chair to grab her waistcoat. “Sorry, but something just came up. I need to head out for a little bit.”

“But we haven’t finished!” Izuku said. Rias quickly silenced him by pressing her finger on his lips.

“There’s one other thing I need to tell you,” she said, her voice moving into lecture-mode, “High-class devils such as myself have a finite amount of servants to allow into their peerage. We refer them as Evil Pieces.”

“Evil Pieces… like in… chess?” Izuku asked, his words mumbling against her finger.

Rias smiled at his intuitiveness, “Exactly,” she said, removing her finger. “As the leader, my rank is King. Yuuto is my Knight, and Koneko, my Rook. You, Izuku, are my Pawn.”

“Wait… so I’m just cannon fodder?” Izuku frowned.

“All chess pieces have a unique skill and the pawn is no different,” Rias countered, slipping on her coat, “You have an ability all other pieces do not: Promotion.”

“What does that mean?” Izuku asked, unfamiliar with the chess term.

“It means that if you enter an area that the King considers to be enemy territory, such as a _church_ , you can promote yourself to a stronger piece other than King, giving you a temporary power boost,” she explained, putting an extra emphasis on the word ‘church’, which Izuku caught on to, “Promoting to Rook will grant you a stronger defense and monstrous strength, Knight gives you greater speed, Bishop enhances magical powers, and Queen combines all three attributes together. However, Queen is a double-edged sword that takes a huge toll on those who haven’t increased their stamina. You get what I’m saying?”

“Yeah, I guess…” Izuku nodded. He blinked as remembered what she said. “But wait… you only mentioned Knight, Rook, and Pawn. You don’t have any other pieces in your group?”

Rias flinched, almost looking guilty, “I have one other piece, but that… is a story for another time. Just remember that a devil’s greatest strength depends on their desire.” She stepped onto the room’s magic circle, causing it to lit up in red light, “Yuuto, you’re in charge while I’m out.”

“Hai!” Yuuto nodded as the U.A. first-year teleported out of the room. Looking to his side, he turned to see Izuku as he was walking out of the room. “You’re still gonna try and find Shiozaki-chan? Even if you do, that fallen angel isn’t alone. You could be walking into a trap.”

“An innocent girl is going to die. I’m not the type of person to simply stand idly by when someone’s in danger. Don’t try and stop me, Kiba-san,” Izuku said sternly, turning back to look at him.

“Who said I was?” Yuuto smiled, “I’m coming with you.”

“You’re what?” Izuku gasped.

“Listen, you’re my nakama now. I’d be setting a bad example if I didn’t lend you a hand. And Rias-san did say that you can promote yourself if you’re in enemy territory. She considers a church to be just that. That’s her way of saying to go on ahead.” Yuuto told him, patting him on the shoulder.

“Ah…” Izuku said. “They must be at the church in the Korusanto ward. Are you really coming though?”

“We both are, right Koneko-chan?”

“…Someone has to keep you out of trouble.” Koneko said before Izuku’s gaze reached her.

Izuku slowly smiled, “Then we’d better head on out. Can’t keep the others waiting.”

“‘Others’?”

 

* * *

 

Izuku led Yuuto and Koneko to the park, where Ochako, Momo, Kyoka, and the two ADA employees were waiting. Kunikida had an ice pack on his head, given to him by Momo. “Kunikida-san! How are you feeling?” Izuku asked.

“Like I was dealing with every one of Dazai’s suicide attempts all at once,” he groaned. “Is this the help Dazai talked about?” Kunikida looked over the two devils, clearly not impressed.

“…Toujou Koneko, Rias-senpais Rook.”

Yuuto gave a polite bow. “Kiba Yuuto, Knight of Rias Gremory. A pleasure to meet you all.”

“Oh, a Knight! How chivalrous!” said Dazai.

“I’ll ask one more time,” Izuku looked to the three girls and two adults. “Are you sure you want to come?”

“Look, kid, we were going to investigate that church eventually,” Kunikida answered, getting up. “Now that we know it’s the murderers’ hideout, it’s our job to take them down.”

Izuku nodded before turning to Ochako, Momo, and Kyoka. “And what about you three?”

Kyoka and Ochako looked the most hesitant, but Momo quickly spoke up. “I’m not a big fan of the church or fallen angels,” she said, a small hint of rage in her eyes. “And I can’t let them hurt someone innocent. I’ll go, no matter what you all say.”

Kyoka sighed. “Then I guess I’m going. Have to keep you out of trouble, ya know?” she winked at Momo.

All eyes then turned to Ochako, who had yet to answer. “I’ll go,” she gulped. “But I’m not sure how much I can help.”

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to, Uraraka-san,” Izuku said. “And I can think of several ways you Quirk can be useful. It lets you control gravity, right?” Izuku guessed.

Ochako blinked a couple of times, “Not exactly, I just need to touch something with all the pads on my fingers, and I can remove gravity’s effect on them.”

“Hmmm, there are limits, but that can be very helpful,” said Dazai. From the tone, it was almost like he was experienced with gravity manipulators.

“We’re wasting time,” Kunikida suddenly interjected. “Whether you’re coming or not, we need to hurry up and get going, before it’s too late.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep~! The Armed Detective Agency exists in this story. For those of you who don’t know about them, they’re from the manga and anime series Bungo Stray Dogs. All of the main characters are named after real-life authors and poets and have powers that reference their works. It’s really good.
> 
> As for why I included them? Well, it’s a natural consequence of the setting. Quirks have been around for at least 9 generations (around 200 years), so it would make sense for anyone with connections to the supernatural factions (such as Sacred Gear users) to not hide and form groups like this. All they had to do is pass off their abilities as a Quirk (for example, a shadow Gear user can pass it off as a shadow controlling Quirk or for a dragon to take on a human form and pass it off as a Transformation-type Quirk, like Ryukyu).
> 
> Anyway, the next chapter will be the end of this arc, so stay tuned. PLUS ULTRA!


	6. Confrontation

The sky had already gone dark by the time they arrived. The team of Izuku, Ochako, Yuuto, Kyoka, Momo, Dazai and Kunikida stood across the street from where the only church in the city was. It was given off a very foreboding atmosphere, especially during the night which made it look even more creepy. It was making Izuku feel rather restless. Whether it was due to the devil genes or simply because it was just that creepy he wasn’t sure. From the way most of the others reacted, it was likely the latter.

“What a _cheery_ atmosphere…” Dazai whispered. “Think it’s haunted?”

“Yeah right…”

“From this presence alone, there is definitely fallen angel activity going on,” Yuuto announced. “And from the look of things, a group of rogue exorcists have also set up camp here, too.”

“How so?" Izuku asked.

“See those decapitated statues?” Momo pointed. The others looked over to where she was pointing. There were definitely ruined statues in that direction. “Rogue exorcists who have been abandoned by God destroy holy areas and commit acts of blasphemy for pleasure. If we cut through the entrance, we should be able to get to the sanctuary in one go. That’s most likely where they’re keeping Shiozaki-san. But…”

“It’s possible the enemy will be waiting,” Dazai finished.

“And getting through the church won’t be a cakewalk,” Yuuto added. “That means we only have one chance. Are you ready?”

Izuku took a deep breath. “I am.” Izuku replied, “What about you guys?”

Kyoka and Ochako were both shaking. “W-we’ll be fine,” Kyoka stuttered.

“Yeah… Just still… trying to process all this is all…”

“Try to relax,” said Kunikida. “Once we get inside, we can’t afford to make any mistakes.”

“Thanks again for coming, Kiba-san,” said Izuku.

“Hey, you and I are buddies, right? Of course, I’ll help,” Yuuto smiled. In a 180 turn, his expression turned to one of anger, “And besides, priests aren’t my favorite things in the world. In fact, you can say I hate them.”

“Hate them?” Izuku blinked. He had never see Yuuto put on such an intense expression before. He was always wearing a refreshing smile wherever he went. And Momo seemed just as angry with the fallen angels. Just what happened to them to make them hate priests and fallen angels like that?

“Questions for later,” Koneko interrupted.

“Yeah…” Izuku nodded slowly, summoning his Sacred Gear.

“It’s go time!” Kunikida announced.

“Right!” Everyone nodded.

The group quickly rushed through the broken gates and made their way up the steps. “We better hurry! By now it’s likely they already know we’re here!” Yuuto said. They reached the large doors that led to the inside of the church.

“I got this,” Kyoka strode to the front, attaching her earphone jacks to it. Suddenly the large metal doors began to vibrate, shaking apart within seconds.

“Impressive!” said Dazai.

“So cool!” said Izuku, stars in his eyes.

“Thanks…” Kyoka blushed.

**Jiro Kyoka, Quirk: Earphone Jack. She can use her plugs to amplify her own heartbeat to deafeningly explosive levels! She can also hear really faint sounds.**

Koneko then stepped up and, without much effort, moved what was left of the heavy metal door aside. “Wow, she’s stronger than she looks,” Ochako commented.

“No kidding,” Izuku nodded. “Rias-san wasn’t kidding about the monstrous strength thing.”

The group entered the church and stepped inside the sanctuary. There was an altar and pews, which was what any church had. It looked like an ordinary sanctuary. The candle lights and the interior lamps lit the sanctuary. And something wasn’t right here… The statue of Jesus on the cross had his head destroyed. What a creepy site. Who would want to desecrate such a sacred area?

“My, no wonder people stop going to church these days,” Dazai quipped, looking around.

“Don’t let your guard down,” Yuuto warned, taking out a long sword. “Someone is here.”

“…Over there,” Koneko confirmed, pointing at a pillar.

Someone stepped out from behind the pillar and walked in front of the altar, standing before the group. “Yo, we meet again, devils,” Freed greeted, clapping sarcastically, “Glad you could make it! Oh, and you brought friends? Fun~!”

Kunikida drew out a gun. “Is this the priest you told us about?”

“That’s him,” Izuku scowled.

“Here’s the deal. I pride myself on the fact that I never had to fight any devil more than once! Not a single devil has escaped from me. I used to have a 100 percent perfect kill count before you came along! If there’s one thing I hate it’s being mocked by maggot devils in the house of God!” Freed pulled out a sword and a gun from his back, spinning them both in his hands. “You kids made my murder boner so hard… I’m gonna kill you… and stick my sword inside of you until I make so many murder holes.”

“…Do you even hear yourself?” Izuku grimaced, Kyoka gagging behind him.

“I must say, aside from the vulgarity, I love what you’ve done with the place!” said Dazai, a cheery smile on his face.

“Hahaha, you like? Courtesy of every fallen angel and stray priest that comes through those doors.”

“What else have you done?” Dazai asked. “I take it there’s more wreckage than what we can see here?”

“Why yes! The alter has a trap door leading to a VIP worship center with an equally important party going on downstairs! We’re in the process of-” Freed’s brain than caught up to his mouth. “YOU TRICKED ME!” With that, Freed leaped at Dazai. The teens all moved away while Dazai, along with Kunikida, instantly rolled away from each other, perfectly in sync. Freed’s downward thrust speared the ground where they had been, the blade sinking into the floor.

Yuuto took the chance to rush forward for a quick slash. Freed was forced to defend himself as both young men clashed blades at one another, sparks flying out from each furious blow. They were both evenly matched and they weren't backing down.

“You’re not half bad!” sneered Freed as he drew his silver gun and aimed it at Yuuto's head, “Makes me wanna blow your brains out! KA-BOOM!” Yuuto tilted his head just as the gun fired, the silver bullet only cutting a few strands of his hair. He quickly backflipped to dodge another shot, leaping backwards and landing on his laughed manically as he continued shooting silver bullet rounds at the Knight has he literally ran circles. One of the bullets managed to graze Yuuto on the cheek, but he didn’t stop running, even deflecting several bullets from hitting him. But Freed’s bullet of bullets quickly ended when Kunikida used his gun to disarm Freed. “OW! Damnit!”

“If your opponent doesn’t pay attention to their surroundings, then they lose what little advantage they have,” said Kunikida.

“Midoriya, you and the others go on ahead! We’ll handle this guy,” Kiba said.

“Save the nun,” Koneko added.

“I’ll help them keep the priest busy. Dazai, you and the others save the girl!”

“Right!” Dazai said as he and the others made their way to the altar.

“Hey! Come back here! No one said you could leave!” Freed shouted, pissed off that the shitty devil got passed him.

“You’ll have to deal with us, first!” Kunikida tore out a page from his notebook. “Sacred Gear: Lone Poet! Flashbang!” The notebook page was engulfed by a light green light, transforming into a flashbang. Kunikida threw the flashbang to Freed before it exploded, filling the entire sanctuary with blinding light.

**Kunikida Doppo, Sacred Gear: Lone Poet. He can create anything he needs by using the pages of his notebook, so long as it’s no bigger than the notebook and he understands its basic form and function.**

 

* * *

 

Izuku, Dazai, Momo, Kyoka, and Ochako made it into the stairwell beneath the altar when the flashbang went off. “Kunikida-san has a Sacred Gear too?!” Izuku asked, having overheard.

“Yep. Called Lone Poet,” Dazai led the way down the stairs.

“That’s crazy!” said Ochako. “Do you have one of those Sacred Gear things too, Dazai-san?”

“Of course!” he smirked, doing some kind of pose. “And it’s perfect for stopping this ritual!” There was a door at the bottom of the stairway, but Dazai didn’t even bother to look at it before kicking it down, blasting it off the hinges. He and the teens strode through the dust and found himself in a chamber where a small army of masked priests had suddenly stood up with their swords drawn. At the very end of the room was Raynare standing before a large cross, where Ibara was chained up, both in very thin dresses and magic circles over their chests.

“Midoriya-san… Everyone…” Ibara moaned softly, looking up slowly, “You’re… here…”

“What do you know?” Raynare smiled, looking over her shoulder to peer at Izuku and the others, “You actually came after all.”

Izuku glared at the fallen angel. “Let Shiozaki-san go!”

“How sweet, but I can’t do that,” Raynare said, condescendingly, “The ritual… is almost complete.” Ibara’s body glowed in bright green light, and she screamed in agonizing pain. A small orb slowly appears on her chest.

“NO! Don’t you dare!” Izuku snarled, firing a Dragon Shot at Raynare’s back. The shot never had a chance to reach as one of the priests quickly deflected it with his sword.

“You will not interfere!” the priest shouted, lunging for the kill.

“I will have your head, devil!” another shouted as more of them zerg rushed them.

“You kids distract them!” Dazai jumped into the air and over the priests.

“‘Distract’?! HOW!?” Kyoka didn’t get her answer as a priest pounced on her. She instinctively used her earphone jacks to grab hold of the priest’s arms and fling him onto his back.

“Here!” Momo, using her Quirk, made two swords, one for Kyoka and another for Ochako, who graciously took the.

Izuku, with some concentration, activated his Sacred Gear’s main power. **[Boost!]**

“Yes!” with his strength now doubled, Izuku punched the nearest priest, sending them flying into the wall with enough force to indent it.

Ochako, avoiding the attacks from the priests, used her Quirk to make some of them float up to the ceiling. Kyoka used hers to stabbed tow priests in the head, earning a cry of pain before they collapse.

“Yes! YES!” Raynare exclaimed as the orb fully pulled itself out of Ibara’s chest and began to approach Raynare’s waiting hands. “It’s almost here! Twilight Healing is now MINE!”

“Sorry, but I can’t let you have that.”

“What the-?!” she gasped as Dazai patted her back. Immediately, Raynare felt the magic circle on her chest disappear. With its destination gone, the orb froze in midair. “NO!”

Dazai slammed his leg against her face, sending the angel flying across the room and out of the doorway, crashing loudly. “You blinked!”

“Dazai-san!” Izuku called out as he, Momo, Ochako, and Kyoka ran up to him. “Is Shiozaki-san okay?”

“She won’t be if we don’t return that orb,” Dazai placed his hand on the cross. It lost all its color and the chains snapped, freeing Ibara. Izuku caught her, and he could already tell that she didn’t have much time. Her face was pale and her eyes looked dull.

Momo grabbed the orb and handed it to Izuku. “If we put this thing back inside of her, she should be fine,” she said. Then she blinked and blushed. “Maybe I should rephrase that?”

“No time,” Izuku said, doing his best not to blush. He pressed the orb back into Ibara’s chest. A bright glow covered the room as the Sacred Gear returned to Ibara’s body, lasting only for a moment before dimming. As soon as the glow vanished, Ibara coughed and breathed loudly, her cheeks and eyes returning to life.

“…Midoriya-san…” Ibara smiled slowly.

“We’re gonna get you outta here,” Izuku smiled back. Ibara then hugged him tightly.

“You came for me…” Ibara whispered, tears welling in her eyes, “You actually came.”

“Of course I did,” Izuku replied, hugging her back.

“Dazai? How did you free Shiozaki? And how’d you stop the ritual?” Kyoka asked.

“With my Sacred Gear,” Dazai answered. “No Longer Human.”

**Dazai Osamu, Sacred Gear: No Longer Human. It allows him to negate any and all magic with a simple touch, including other Sacred Gears!**

“RAGH! You filthy vermin! You ruined everything!” one of the priests had recovered quickly and tried to strike Dazai in the back. However, the sword of light instantly shattered upon connecting with Dazai. With a disappointed sigh, Dazai swiftly punched the priest in the face, sending him flying into several other priests. Looking around the room, he saw all the other priest quickly recovering and glaring murderously at them, looking none too pleased that the ritual was prematurely interrupted.

“Midoriya…?” Ibara squeaked, clinging onto him fearfully.

“Midoriya, there’s an exit over there! You and the others take Shiozaki and go,” Dazai ordered. “I’ll buy you some time.”

“Wait, can you handle them all by yourself?!” Ochako asked.

“Don’t worry about me, just go.”

Izuku nodded. “Be careful!” Izuku took Ibara’s hand and ran for the door, the other girls not far behind.

 

* * *

 

Back at the sanctuary, Yuuto, Koneko, and Kunikida were still fighting long and hard against Freed. The so-called holy man was grinning like a psycho as he swung his sword and fired a second gun he had hidden in his robes. Yuuto didn't look like he was tiring anytime soon despite the running around he did. Kunikida had run out of bullets several times, needing pages from his precious notebook to keep up. Freed rapid fired at Kunikida, but Koneko quickly jumped in front of him and used herself as a shield- as much as she could due to her height anyway. It seemed to work as all the bullets were stopped from targeting Yuuto and hit her instead, but rather turn her into bloody swiss cheese the bullets were crushed against her body, a few even tearing up her outfit. Freed seemed to realize that shooting wasn't going anywhere.

“Guns won’t work on me,” Koneko said boredly.

“Well, well,” Freed smirked, his gun smoking, “You’re tough for a puny little girl, aren’t you?”

Koneko looked down at her chest. “Little…” Koneko suddenly began throwing anything and everything at Freed, who laughed madly and either dodged what was thrown or cut it in half.

“…I take it she’s sensitive about her figure?” Kunikida asked Yuuto.

“…She’s a little touchy on the subject,” Yuuto confirmed.

Kunikida then began to scribble in his notebook. “Never, under any circumstances, intentional or not, make fun of a women’s breasts, no matter their age…” he said to himself as he wrote it down.

“So, I have a million euro question for you,” Freed asked Yuuto, once Koneko ran out of things to throw, “Why’s your new buddy trying to save that shitty maiden?”

“Midoriya-kun? He’s just like that, I guess,” Yuuto replied. He leaped at Freed, their blades clashing several times before leaping away. “Say’s he wants to be a hero.”

“Hero?! HA! Like that fucking devil shit stain can be a hero!” Kunikida aiming his gun was enough for Freed to jump back several meters. “You devils like tricks, right? Wanna see mine?” He threw a smoke bomb to the ground. Yuuto, Koneko, and Kunikida’s visions were obstructed by the smoke. Once it subsided, Freed was gone.

“Got away again.” Yuuto frowned.

“He won’t have anywhere to hide,” Kunikida said, writing in his notebook. “I’ll give his description to the police.”

“We need to check up on Midoriya-senpai and the others.”

“You two head down the altar.” Kunikida ordered. “I’ll head outside and check for any other exits.”

 

* * *

 

At the back of the church, a hidden door flew into the air before falling down to the ground. Izuku walked out into the open, the girls close behind. “We should be fine out here for now,” Momo said.

“How are you feeling?” Izuku asked.

“A bit better…” Ibara answered, slightly out of breath. “It really hurt to have my Sacred Gear taken out like that.”

“It’s gonna be fine. I won’t let anyone get to you,” Izuku promised.

Ibara smiled sadly, “Only my parents ever stood up for me like that before, not even when I was being banished from my village. Actually… I don’t remember the last time anyone was talking to me like a friend.”

“You never had any friends?” Ochako asked.

“No,” Ibara shook her head, “If we get out of this… would it be alright for us to be friends?”

Each of them smiled, “Of course we will,” said Momo.

“Mhm,” Ochako nodded.

“Damn straight,” Kyoka affirmed.

“Right,” Izuku grinned, “And we will get out of this! I promise!”

Ibara beamed brightly at their words, tears of happiness forming in her eyes.

“How sentimental…”

They all froze at the dreadfully familiar voice. Everyone all instinctively surrounded Ibara like a shield as they all looked around the area outside the ruined church for the fallen angel, taking in every nook, cranny, and sound. Momo created a long pole as she put up her guard. Kyoka’s earphone jacks twitched as she tried to track Raynare through sound. Ochako had her fists clenched tight. Izuku was preparing for a Dragon Shot, ready to fire the second he saw the fallen.

Ibara looked around as her friends continued trying to find the enemy. She too was feeling a bit scared that none of them knew where she went. With the element of surprise in Raynare’s control, there was no telling where she could strike. There was a small light coming out of the corner of her eye. It was faint, but it was enough for her to take notice. Looking up at the perch above them, she noticed the light slowly growing brighter. And then it happened. The flash shot from the perch and blasted straight towards Izuku.

“Izuku!” Ibara shouted as she pushed Izuku. He stumbled and turned only to watch in horror as Ibara took the shot in his place. Time seemed to slow down as the beam of light pierced through Ibara’s chest. His eyes widened as blood burst out of the wound and the girl collapsed on the ground.

“IBARA!”

“Oh, too bad,” Raynare said, condescendingly. With the element of surprise gone, she descended down from her perch and glided to the ground. She smiled cruelly as she watched. Izuku was cradling Ibara as the blood rushed out of her wound deeply. She was breathing hard as she desperately clung to what little breath she had left. “That’s a good look for someone as pathetic as you,” she said. “I had considered going after the traitor, but you just piss me off more. So sad about Ibara, but if I can’t have the Twilight Healing then there’s no way I’m letting anyone else take it from me.”

Momo growled, “Why you!” A bolt of lightning shot out of Momo’s hand, coming dangerously close to striking Raynare had she not taken to the air.

“Hold on Ibara! Just hold on! Stay with me!” Izuku desperately screamed.

“Izuku…san…” Ibara gasped softly, tears in her eyes.

“Try not to talk!” Ochako said, kneeling down next to her.

“Just use Twilight Healing and heal yourself!” Kyoka asked, trying her best not to lose consciousness from the sight.

“I…I can’t…” She was too weak and losing blood. She was fading fast.

“Then just save your strength!” Momo said, kneeling down and creating a med-kit. “We’ll save you!”

“Save her? Ha!” Raynare laughed, a spear of light in hand. “How pathetic. You can’t save her once you’re all dead!”

_*BANG! BANG!*_

Raynare screamed as two bullets knocked the light spear out of her hand. “Kids! You alright?!”

Izuku turned to see Kunikida running toward them. “Kunikida-san! Ibara’s hurt!”

Kunikida ran toward Ibara’s side, nearly gagging at the sight of the gaping hole in her chest. “This is bad…” He silently cursed himself for not getting here sooner. “We need to stabilize her. But one of us needs to deal with that fallen angel.”

Izuku, glaring at Raynare, stood up. “I’ll do it.”

“Wha- You can’t!” Ochako said. “She’ll kill you!”

“Maybe, but it’ll give you guys time to get away and help Ibara.” Saying nothing else, Izuku began walking towards Raynare.

“Be careful kid. And good luck,” said Kunikida.

The fallen angel had moved a few meters back, clenching her hand in pain. “Damnit, Freed! You couldn’t deal with three fucking devils and their fucking friends?!” She then noticed that Izuku was walking toward her. “Oh, what’s this? Does the little devil boy want to play?” Without hesitating, Raynare created another spear and threw it at Izuku.

“ _Promotion: Rook!_ ” Immediately, Izuku felt a twinge in his chest as the Evil Piece responded to his command. He felt his body grow denser. The spear of light bounced off of Izuku’s body, shattering in the process. Though it did leave a pretty bad gash in Izuku’s side.

“So you’re a Pawn,” Raynare hissed.

“I may be a Pawn,” Izuku growled, his Sacred Gear glowing green. “But that won’t stop me from beating you!”

**[Boost!]**

Raynare smirked. “Please, don’t get yourself worked up. There’s nothing a shitty low-class devil like you that can-”

**[Boost!]**

Raynare’s smirk disappeared, her eyes widening.

Izuku’s entire body began to glow green. “I don’t care what you say!”

**[Boost!]**

“I’m not going to let you hurt me, Ibara, or anyone else ever again!”

**[Dragon Force!]**

Both Izuku and his Sacred Gear changed. The bracer transformed into a clawed gauntlet with 2 golden spikes. Red scales now covered Izuku’s right arm, the sides of his face, and back, where two leathery wings emerged alongside his devil wings, giving him a more dragonic look.

Raynare began to tremble. “That’s… impossible! His Sacred Gear shouldn’t be capable of any of this! It’s just a Twice Critical!”

Terrified, Raynare tried to flee, but Izuku, with far more speed than a Rook should have, caught up to her. Grabbing her by the leg, he threw her into the ground. Raynare gagged as Izuku landed near her. As she tried to stand, she saw Izuku approaching her. “N-no! Stay back! Don’t touch me!”

Izuku reared his fist back as it glowed with green energy, and then rammed it straight through her stomach. “Dragon… SMASH!” A burst of energy exploded around them as his fist made contact.

“Guah…!” Raynare coughed loudly from the blow. Her body bucked and arched into an awkward angle as she was sent flying. She crashed through the side of the church, landing in the sanctuary.

Izuku followed her into the sanctuary, finding Raynare on the floor, out cold. Izuku breathed a sigh of relief. He won.

“Hey, Midoriya! Over here!”

Izuku turned around at the sound of the voice, finding Yuuto, Koneko, and Dazai casually sitting on a few smashed pews.

“Guys! You okay?”

“No biggie,” Koneko shrugged, stuffing herself with a pack of gummies she had brought with her.

“Those priests were such disappointments…” Dazai huffed. “Couldn’t one of them have used a real gun? By the way, I like your new look, Izuku-kun. Very hero-y.”

Izuku checked himself over, now noticing the large leathery wings and scales. “Holy whoa, you’re right! Guess I didn’t notice until now.”

“You’re unbelievable,” Koneko deadpanned.

“Nice job beating that fallen angel, Midoriya-kun.” Yuuto smiled, holding his sword over his shoulder. “It sure was impressive.”

“You guys saw that? Why didn’t you come help?”

“Buchou told us not to get involved,” Yuuto answered.

“Because I believed in you.”

Izuku spun around quickly at the sound of Rias’ voice. Sure enough, there she was smiling rather proudly at him. “Senpai?!”

“I knew you could do it on your own,” Rias smiled, walking over to him and rubbing his hair, “As expected of my cute junior. You definitely pull your weight.”

“H… hai…” Izuku nodded slowly, blushing softly.

“Oh, your Sacred Gear.”

Izuku looked at his newly changed Sacred Gear. “Yeah, I don’t know what happened. Both it and me just changed.”

“Red Dragon…” Rias muttered. “That explains a lot.”

Then Izuku remembered, “Ibara!”

Izuku ran over to where he left Ibara and the others. But he didn’t get very far as they soon walked into the sanctuary through the hole Izuku made, Shiozaki in Kunikida’s arms, her eyes dull and lifeless. “Izu…ku…” she gasped for breath.

“I’m sorry, we did all we could,” Kunikida said. “Even if we get her to the nearest hospital, I doubt she’ll be able to survive.”

Momo covered her mouth, Kyoka doing the same. Ochako was on the verge of tears.

Izuku went wide-eyed. “No… I won’t let you die! You saved me, so I’ll save you!” He looked desperately at Rias, “Is there a way to save her?”

“There is,” Rias nodded quickly. She held up a small red piece in her fingers. “Do you know what this is?”

“That’s… a bishop piece,” Izuku recognized.

“This is my last one, too,” Rias said. “Ibara, for saving my servant I will reward you with a second life. However, you will be reborn as a devil and will have to work under me for all eternity, and you can no longer serve God. Do you accept?”

Ibara looked up at her and nodded weakly, “I want… to stay with… Izuku…”

Rias smiled, “Sir, set her down gently and back away. I need room to perform this ritual.” Kunikida nodded before slowly lowering Ibara down on the ground gently and stepping away. Rias knelt down and placed the bishop piece just below her breasts. A magic circle glowed underneath Ibara in a crimson color as the bishop piece also glowed just as brightly. Rias stood up then stood up and began to ritual. _“I, Rias Gremory, command by my name to thee, Shiozaki Ibara. To allow thy soul to descend to this Earth again, to become my servant. As your new master, I grant you a new life!”_ At Rias’ command, the magic circle flashed brightly as the bishop piece sank into her body. The magic circle vanished once the ritual was complete. Ibara’s eyes slowly blinked as she felt that the pain her chest was no more. She sat up and removed the wrapping around her chest. There was no hole. It was all solid again.

“The power to bring the near dead back to a healthy state…” Dazai whispered in intrigue. “Looks like Yosano has some competition.”

“Izuku-san!” Ibara smiled, leaping up and grabbing the dragon boy in a hug. Izuku happily returned the hug tightly as a small tear of joy rolled down his cheek.

“Ibara,” he whispered, “Glad to have you back.”

“Awesome…” Kyoka whispered. “Does that only work when someone’s about to die?”

“No,” Rias answered. “It’s mostly done when both participants are healthy and alive.”

“That’s good to know…” Momo whispered. “I wonder if…” She shook her head, deciding to ask for that later.

“Damn you…” The heartwarming moment was interrupted by Raynare stomping forward, light swirling in her hands, looking absolutely livid. “You just had to turn Ibara into a devil, didn’t you? How the fuck can I be beaten by a shitty Twice Critical?!”

“Izuku doesn’t have a Twice Critical.”

Raynare visibly flinched by what Dazai said. “What?”

“He’s right,” Rias confirmed. “I understand your confusion since you first saw it in its dormant state, but what Izu-kun really has is the Boosted Gear, a mid-tier Longinus. It doubles his power every ten-seconds, allowing him to transcend both God and Satan at will.”

Izuku, flabbergasted, stared at his Boosted Gear. As did Raynare. “You- You mean this _child_ is the Red Dragon Emperor?!” she took several steps back. “T-that won’t matter! You haven’t won in the slightest. I still have my comrades to-”

“Your comrades are dead,” Rias interrupted coolly.

Raynare’s face paled. “What?”

Rias reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out two black feathers, “Recognize _these_? I’m sure you’ve seen these feathers from somewhere before.”

Raynare began to tremble. “You… you…”

“After you and your friend attacked Izu-kun and Ibara, I got word that a rogue squad of fallen angels were planning to attack this city, so I went and had a chat with your colleagues Dohnaseek and Kalawarner. But then they had the nerve to ridicule my precious servant…” red and black energy enveloped the two feathers, vaporizing them.

“She… She killed them?!” Izuku gasped.

“Rias-san is the heir of the Duke-level Gremory Clan, which are famous for treating their servants as family, and she’s no exception to that,” Yuuto explained. “She’s hailed as a genius among other young devils for her talent and Power of Destruction, a magical power handed down only to the members of her family. It can obliterate and erase anything it touches and can cause objects to decay. It’s how she earned the nickname ‘the Crimson-Haired Princess of Ruin’.”

 _‘What scary names!’_ Izuku, Momo, Ibara, Ochako, and Kyoka all thought.

Rias then glared at Raynare. “Now, what to do about you?” The fallen angel began to shake and tremble in fear. “I could just simply purge you here and now, but I get the feeling that would be too light.” Rias looked at Izuku and Ibara. “Of all of us, she’s done the worst to you two. It’s only fair that you choose what happens to her now.”

“I…I don’t want anyone else hurt because of me.” Ibara squeaked. “Could… could you please let her go?”

Rias then glanced at Izuku for his answer. “Believe me, I want Raynare to pay for what she did, but if she did this without the other fallen angel’s knowledge like you said, then I think it would be best to let them decide what to do with her.”

Rias smiled. “Congratulations, Raynare. You’re free to go, assuming the other fallen ever want to see you again.”

Raynare looked surprised, hopeful, and terrified by what was happening and what would happen to her. When Rias made no further moves, she crawled backwards and spread her damaged wings. The female fallen flapped her wings and flew off as fast as she could.

“And there she goes,” Dazai commented. “I was really hoping she would be brave enough to commit to a double suicide.”

“…I think you need a psychiatrist,” Izuku and the other teens all sweat-dropped.

“Unless it’s a woman, he’ll just scare them off,” Kunikida muttered, putting away a flip phone. “You kids better leave, too. I just called the police. They’ll be here in a few minutes.”

Rias nodded, creating a magic circle next to her. “Izu-kun, Ibara, Koneko, Yuuto, let’s go.”

“Wait, what about us?!” Kyoka asked.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take you kids somewhere safe,” said Dazai.

The three girls nodded. “See you tomorrow?” Ochako said to Izuku.

“Yeah.”

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Izuku was in the Occult Research Club room with Rias drinking a cup of tea with her. Everyone else had yet to arrive. “So how’s your injury?” she asked him.

“Great. Shiozaki-san really outdid herself,” Izuku told her.

“Right… Ibara’s power to heal devils, fallen angels, and perhaps other races is very valuable, so it’s easy to see why the fallen angels were after it,” Rias nodded, crossing her legs.

“So, I’ve been wondering,” Izuku began twiddling this thumbs. “There are eight pawn pieces on a chessboard, right? Does that mean I’ll be expecting more pawns just like me?”

“No. You’re my only one,” Rias told him.

“Huh?” Izuku blinked.

Rias took a sip of her drink before setting it down. “The amount of Evil Pieces used to turn someone into a devil depends on that person’s overall potential. A devil’s worth is whether or not they can utilize their powers efficiently. When I revived you, I had one knight, one rook, one bishop, a queen, and eight pawns. Since you used up all eight of my pawn pieces to recruit, I wouldn’t have been able to revive you.”

“ _ALL_ of them?!” Izuku gasped. “I’m worth eight pawns?!”

“That’s right, but I didn’t understand why until last night,” Rias smiled. She leaned in and stroked his cheek gently, his face instantly reacting as it turned red, “I had intended to use my queen piece, but I decided to take the gamble and use my pawns. Now that we know you have the Boosted Gear, that means you can become the Ultimate Pawn, a hero that’s never been seen before,” her smile widened at the blush on his face. “The Crimson-Haired Princess of Ruin and the Red Dragon Emperor make a good match, huh? I’ll be rooting for you, got it?”

“R-right,” Izuku nodded slowly. Rias smiled before she kissed him on the forehead, “S-senpai?!” Izuku gasped, his face turning into a bright shade of red from the unexpected display of affection.

Rias removed her lips from his forehead and stuck out her tongue playfully, “That’s a good luck charm. The U.A. Entrance Exam is a little over five months away, so train hard. Oh, and call me ‘Buchou’ from now on. I can’t show too much affection or else our new member will be jealous fufu…” she giggled as she turned her gaze at the door. Izuku followed her gaze and found a familiar crown of thorns standing there.

“Shiozaki-san?” Izuku saw the newly turned devil’s face was red as she fidgeted with her fingers nervously.

“U-um… it’s obvious that Rias-buchou is beautiful, so of course, Izuku-san would be in love with her- No, no, no! I can’t be thinking of such things! O Lord, please forgive thy sinful heart- OW!” Ibara prayed before feeling a throbbing pain in her head.

Izuku chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head, “I know how that is, it happened to me once too. How are you adapting?”

“It will take time for me to get used to becoming a devil and I’m sad that I can’t pray to God anymore, but I don’t have any regrets,” Ibara smiled with a pink tint on her cheeks.

“Glad to hear that,” Izuku said to her.

“Ibara-chan will applying for the U.A. Entrance Exam too, so she’ll be training with us for the next few months,” Rias explained.

“Oh, okay,” Izuku replied. “Guess we’ll be training together then, Shiozaki-san.”

“Y-you can just call me Ibara if that’s all right?” Ibara told him, smiling.

“Sure,” Izuku smiled. “I _was_ calling you by your name last night, after all.”

“Now ain’t this cute?”

Looking at the door, Izuku saw Kyoka, Momo, and Ochako standing there. “Oh, you guys made it,” Izuku said.

“Thanks for inviting us,” said Ochako. She then looked over to Rias. “We never really introduced ourselves. I’m Uraraka Ochako.”

“I’m Yaoyorozu Momo.”

“Jiro Kyoka.”

“I’m Rias Gremory,” she said as the three girls sat down. “I take it you’re here to check on Ibara?”

“Yeah. We wanted to see if she and Midoriya were okay,” Kyoka told her. “And before you ask, we promise not to tell anyone about you guys being devils. Not like they’d believe us…”

Rias giggled. “That’s good to know. Since Izu-kun trusted you to help last night, I think I can trust you as well.”

“Uh, Rias-san…” Momo hesitantly looked up. “Can I… ask you something? In private?”

“Sure,” Rias replied. “You can ask after the party is over.”

“Party?”

A door to an adjacent room then opened, where Yuuto wheeled in a trolley holding a cake and various other sweets, with Koneko close behind. “A little cake to welcome our new member,” he then noticed the three girls on the sofa. “And guests, it seems.”

“By the way, where’s Dazai-san and Kunikida-san?” Ochako asked.

“They went back to Yokohama earlier today,” Rias answered. “Though Kunikida did leave a note with the ADA’s number if we ever need their help. But enough about that.” Rias took a glass of soda and held it over her head, “Let’s welcome our newest member to the Occult Research Club! Kampai!”

“Kampai!” the others cheered.

As the party was continuing on, Rias suddenly felt a presence watching from out of the window. Turning around, she saw a very exotic bird gazing directing at her. She swallowed hard, recognizing the bird quickly. She stared at the bird until Izuku snapped her out.

“Buchou? What's wrong?”

“Oh, Izu-kun, it’s…” she turned back to the window to where the bird was, only to find the bird was gone. “It’s nothing, Izuku…” she told him with a smile on her face, though the sudden turmoil in her heart spoke otherwise.

 

* * *

 

Raynare flew as far and as fast as she could. She tried returning to the Underworld but found that Mittlet beat her there. Turns out the brat was a spy sent by Azazel to keep tabs on her and the others. She realized that if she went back to Grigori, she’ll be considered a traitor. Hell, she probably already had a bounty on her head by now. Not that surprising, as she both directly disobeyed Azazel’s orders and made sure the devils brought the Red Dragon Emperor to their side!

By the time she arrived in Yokohama, a couple of days had passed since her humiliating defeat. She could never face Kokabiel ever again after her massive screwup. The warmonger would surely use her for cannon fodder or target practice if she did. She was on her own, just like before…

Finding an alleyway to rest, Raynare sat down and put away her wings. “Red Dragon Emperor…” she hissed. “Gremory Princess… Azazel… I swear, I will make you all pay, even if it’s the last thing I do!”

“My, what have we here?”

Instinctively, Raynare created a spear of light and aimed it at the voice’s source. “Who’s there!? Show yourself!”

“Very well,” stepping out of the shadows was a man in his early 40s. He was fairly tall and had a slender physique. His eyes seem red and have a strange pattern on their pupils. His medium black hair was swept back, leaving only two bangs to the front on each side. He was wearing a dark-colored open shirt with a loose black tie under a white coat, white pants, and black shoes.

“Who are you?” Raynare demanded.

“Just a back alley doctor,” he said with a reassuring smile. “I happen to see you land and thought I could help.”

“Help? I don’t need your help!” Raynare snapped. “If you’re planning to rape me, then forget it!”

“Sorry to disappoint, but I prefer girls under twelve.”

Raynare’s eye began to twitch. “That’s it! I’ve had a couple of really bad days, and I think I’ll take out my frustrations on _you_!”

The doctor simply smiled and said, “Why don’t you try?”

Raynare suddenly began shaking uncontrollably. _‘Wha… What?!’_ she dropped the spear, which shattered upon hitting the ground. Raynare fell to the ground next, frozen in fear. _‘My body won’t listen. This murderous intent, it’s suffocating! It rivals Kokabiel’s!’_ “Who are you!?”

“As I said, a back alley doctor. Well, at least that’s what I used to be,” he began to walk closer to her. “Now I have a new job, and I’m willing to hire you, Raynare.”

The irises in Raynare’s fear-stricken eyes shrunk. “How-”

“News travels fast, especially if you have informants in the Underworld,” he was now standing directly over her. “It would be such a wast for someone of your talents to be sent to prison, so I’m here to make you a deal. Work for me, or I hand you over to Azazel in body bags. Well?”

Raynare could only nod her head, not having any other choice.

“Excellent!” the killer intent subsided. “Welcome to the Port Mafia.” He lent out his hand, which Raynare took.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! Finished the first arc of the story, “Rise of the Red Dragon”. I admit I’m not the best writer out there, and I know that everyone is hoping for more divergence from the DxD canon, but honestly, there are some things that can’t be changed and at the moment I’m doing minor changes like Raynare and Mittlet surviving.
> 
> Next arc will have some focus on Ochako, and why she’s “blase” to all the supernatural shenanigans, as said by MereC55. SPOILER: It's something genetic. As for Kyoka, well, it has something to do with Momo.
> 
> If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, please let me know.
> 
> I’ll also be taking a week-long break, so the next chapter won’t come until the 22nd. Until then, see ya! PLUS ULTRA!


	7. Friendly Competition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND I'm back! Hope you enjoy the chapter!

A few days have passed since the fight against Raynare, and Ibara was adjusting well to her new life as a devil. Like Izuku, she was tasked with handing out pamphlets and flyers, and she managed to get her first contact. Unlike Izuku, due to being a bishop, Ibara was well adapted in magical ability next to Rias.

But Izuku didn’t really mind. He was just happy he was finally able to use his Boosted Gear. Izuku did tell his mother about his newly developed ‘power’ to which she spent the whole day hugging her son and crying tears of joy, much to Rias’ amusement.

Then there was the case of Ibara’s living arrangements. Izuku knew that given her new circumstances she would need somewhere to stay. But he wasn’t expecting to see stacks of boxes in front of his apartment, with both Rias and Ibara standing right next to them. Rather than answering what the boxes were for, in which she said she would do later, Rias only told him to bring them inside. Fortunately for them, or rather unfortunately for Izuku, the matriarch of the Midoriya household was home.

“Let me get this straight…” Inko said slowly, making sure that she had heard it right the first time, “You want Ibara-chan to board in with us?”

The woman in question was sitting at the dining room table apart from Izuku, Rias, and Ibara, still trying to wrap her head around what was just said. It really was one of the last things a mother expected to hear. A pretty girl staying with her teenage son… that was one of the many things a boy his age would dream of happening to them. Even Izuku was looking flabbergasted at Rias request. A lovely looking young girl suddenly staying with them? Something was telling her that a lot more was going to follow very soon.

“I know it’s inconvenient but please hear me out,” Rias said, playing spokeswoman, “Ibara comes from a small village and she doesn’t have any known relatives. After she arrived to the city Izu-kun was the first and only one who helped her and showed her around, so she mostly feels at ease when she’s around him. It would only make sense to be around someone who makes you feel at ease, don't you think so?”

“Well, that is true,” Inko nodded, rubbing her chin, “And I can say for a fact that Izuku wouldn’t even dream of doing anything shameful to a girl. Still, this is a lot for me to think about.”

“In that case,” Rias continued, moving in for argument #2, “What would you say if Ibara became your adopted daughter?”

“Adopted…?” Inko blinked, “What do you mean?”

“Ibara trusts Izu-kun greatly so,” Rias explained, “While it is true that his main problems lie in his social awkwardness, he is also straightforward and confronts any problem without hesitation. I, as well as Ibara, were both charmed by that quality of his.”

“T-that's right!” Ibara pipped up timidly, “Izuku-san risked his life for mine without care for his own safety!”

“Is that right…?” Inko hummed, “It certainly sounds like Izuku. But still…”

“Then let me offer you this,” Rias replied, laying down her trump card, “We can use the time Ibara lives here as bridal training.” The room stayed silent only for a short while as Rias’ words sank in.

“H-HAH?!” Inko exclaimed, eyes widening.

“BRIDAL TRAINING?!” Izuku, Inko, and Ibara all gasped, the two teens blushing brightly.

“Think of it this way. If Izuku interacts with Ibara as much as possible, it could make him grow out of his social anxiety shell,” Rias reasoned. “And it would give him an easier time to interact with girls his age.”

“Those are… some very convincing arguments,” Inko responded, calming down from her shock. “Now that I think about it, with Hisashi working so much now, it would be nice to have some extra company. And on that note…” she trailed off as she looked at Ibara. “I wouldn’t mind if she bore me grandchildren.”

Izuku and Ibara both stared at Inko with wide eyes as her words sank in, “EEHHH!” Rias simply couldn’t help but giggle at Inko’s statement.

“MOM!” Izuku exclaimed, his head steaming. “PLEASE DON’T JOKE LIKE THAT!”

“Who said I was joking?” Then she smiled brightly, “At any rate, I look forward to you staying with us Ibara-chan. Please take care of my son.”

“W… well,” Ibara bowed shyly, “I’m may be inexperienced, but I’ll be under your care from now on, Izuku-san’s kaa-sama. I hope we get along.”

Rias smiled as she watched Inko rubbed Ibara’s head, gushing about how cute and adorable she was as Izuku was facepalming over his mother’s antics. Turning to the side, her smile dropped as a weary look appeared on her eyes.

_‘A bride, huh…?’_

 

* * *

 

The very next day, Izuku and Ibara left home and made their way to school. As expected from what happened the last time, the various boys and girls who were among the crowd to school were staring both oddly and enviously with a hint of suspicion at Izuku and Ibara. Once again, Izuku was walking to school with a very attractive beauty. Izuku did his best to ignore the stares, settling for the company Ibara gave him.

“Hau~…” Ibara whispered nervously, twisting the handle of her schoolbag with both hands. “My first day at a school in years… I’m really nervous about this…”

“What was school like back in your old village?” Izuku asked her.

“I really don’t remember much, just a single small elementary school,” Ibara told him. “But after my Twilight Healing was discovered, I was made to stop going to school altogether and given a private tutor. They told me that the Holy Maiden was far too prestigious to learn ‘menial lessons’.” Izuku could hear some hint of loneliness in her voice as she said it.

Izuku cringed sadly. Ibara really did felt lonely after becoming a Holy Maiden. She was adored and admired, but never loved for the person she was. The fact that she was quickly kicked to the curb after healing a devil only further reinforced the point on how the people there were selfish and ignored the needs of a girl still in her adolescence. “Don’t worry. We’ll be in neighboring classes along with Kiba-san, so we’ll be there for you.”

“Thank you, Izuku-san,” Ibara smiled, a light blush on her face.

 

* * *

 

Later on in the day, Izuku and Ibara were in the Occult Research Club room lounging around with Rias, Yuuto, Koneko, Momo, Kyoka, and Ochako. Even without anything to do, Ibara enjoyed the company. It was warm and welcoming. Quite unlike the loneliness she felt back in her home village. Izuku was sitting on one of the sofas with Ibara right beside him, enjoying the mochi Ochako had brought. Kyoka and Momo were sitting on the couch across from them, enjoying the mochi also. Koneko had gotten hold of the bag and has already eaten half of it, much to Ochako’s dismay. Yuuto was sitting in a chair nearby, reading a book. Rias sat at her desk, fulfilling paperwork.

Each of them chatted among themselves, having fun. At least, that was the case until Ibara explained where she’ll be staying. “Oh, you’re living together now, eh?” Kyoka asked, a sly smile on her face. “So, when can we expect a wedding?”

“J-J-J-Jiro-san!” Izuku stuttered, his whole head glowing red from embarrassment.

Ibara, though equally as embarrassed, silently liked the idea.

Ochako nearly choked, either from trying not to laugh or from a small amount of jealousy she felt. Maybe both.

“Kyoka, please show some respect,” Momo hissed.

Kyoka playfully stuck out her tongue and winked in response.

Deciding to change the subject, Rias spoke up. “So Yaoyorozu-san, how’s your training coming along?”

“Great,” Momo answered. “We’re almost done, with plenty of time left until the recommendation tests, so you better keep your end of the deal.”

“Of course,” Rias said with a smile, “Assuming you finish in time.”

Not long after Momo, Kyoka, and Ochako left.

Once they were gone, Ibara spoke up. “Uh, Buchou. What was that deal Yaoyorozu-san talked about?”

Rias sighed. “A pretty bold and unexpected request. She wants to become a devil.”

“What?!” Izuku and Ibara gasped.

Yuuto simply chuckled. “Well, that’s unexpected to say the very least.”

Koneko simply munched on the mochi.

“Why would she want that?” Izuku asked.

“She didn’t say, but we made a deal: If she can finish cleaning Dagoba Beach at least a month before the recommendations tests, then I’ll make her a devil,” Rias then smiled. “But enough about that, here’s why we’re really here,” Rias got off from her desk and pointed at Izuku and Ibara. “It’s time we got you two familiars.”

“Familiars?” Izuku asked.

“What are they?” Ibara asked.

“Familiars are very essential in devil society. Think of them as like sidekicks. They can back you up with various tasks and can assist in battle.” Rias snapped her fingers. In a puff of smoke, a small cartoony bat with dark red fur appears next to her. “This is my familiar, Moka. You actually already met her, Izu-kun.”

“I did?” Right as Izuku said that, Moka changed into a young woman, wearing a vampire-style outfit. Izuku recognized her right away. “You’re that girl who gave me the flyer!”

“And it was a lucky thing you kept the flyer,” Rias nodded as Moka turned back into a bat.

“This is Shiro, he’s mine,” Koneko said, showing a small white kitten in her arms.

“Aw, he’s cute!” Ibara cooed at the total adorableness of Koneko’s familiar, leaning forward to scratch the feline on the ears. The little cat gave a small purr, enjoying the scratches.

“And this is mine,” Izuku looked over at Yuuto, showing a small bird on his forearm.

“So me and Ibara-san are going to get familiars now?” Izuku asked, admiring the bird.

“Well, about that…” Rias was interrupted by a sudden knock on the door. “Oh, we have visitors. The door’s opened!”

The young devils stood up as the door opened up, and stepping into the room was a group led by a girl the same age as Rias. She was slender and a little shorter than Rias. She had short, bobcut styled hair being held together by a single clip. Her eyes were strangely pinkish and were behind a set of red glasses with oval frames that gave her a cute and professional look.

Next to her was a slender woman with split bangs long black hair that freely fell down to her knees and blue rectangular glasses behind heterochromic eyes, the left being violet and the other one brown. The rest of the teens behind them consisted of five girls and one boy, some wearing U.A. uniforms. “Sorry to interrupt,” the bobcut greeted the group with a small smile.

“Who are they?” Ibara whispered.

“They’re mostly U.A. students currently running for positions in the Student Council,” Yuuto answered, having overheard. “The one in front is Sona Shitori and the other one next to her is Shinra Tsubaki.”

Rias then smiled at Sona. “Good to see you again, Sona,” Rias greeted. “What can I do for you?”

“Nothing, I just wanted to congratulate you on increasing the number of your servants,” Sona replied. She then smiled slyly. “It took you long enough.”

“Wait, how does she know?” Izuku asked.

“Because her real name is Sona Sitri,” Yuuto told them. “And just like Buchou she’s a high-class devil and next in line to lead the House of Sitri.”

“Huh? So then, other students at U.A. are devils just like us?” Izuku blinked.

“It’s pretty surprising you haven’t told the newbie about us, Buchou,” the sole male of the Sitri group said. He was somewhat average looking with grey eyes and shaggy light brown hair. He wasn’t wearing a school uniform. “But if you can’t trust him with inside info then I guess he isn't worth much.”

“It’s considered bad form for devils from other households to interfere with one another, Saji,” Sona reprimanded him, causing Saji to look at her in surprise, “It isn’t all that surprising that Rias hasn’t told him anything about us yet. And that’s the point of this visit anyway.” Sona then turned to the others. “This is Saji Genshirou, my second and newest Pawn,” Sona introduced, smiling.

“This is Midoriya Izuku, my new Pawn. And this is my second Bishop, Shiozaki Ibara,” Rias smiled, gesturing at the two of them.

“Um, I’m pleased to you,” Ibara bowed, “I hope we’ll get along.”

“Sure! I’m all for it! Let’s be great friends!” Saji greeted back with a friendly tone as he shook her hand. Izuku was slightly unsettled by Saji’s forwardness. He simply let it slide as he introduced himself next.

“Pleased to meet you, Saji-san. I’m looking forward to working with another Pawn,” Izuku smiled, extending his hand.

Saji, on the other hand, gave a snort and cooly smirked at Izuku. “Yeah, yeah, sure,” he scoffed arrogantly. “Dude, you might be nice and all, but you’re nowhere on my level. I took up four Pawns on my own!” the braggart continued after a breath for dramatic effect, “Maybe someday you'll be able to meet me on equal footing and we'll see who’s the better Servant.”

“Midoriya took up eight pieces. It’s always better to get your facts straight before you make a complete fool of yourself,” Sona quickly spoke.

Saji’s eyes widened at Izuku’s Evil Piece worth, “What? Eight pieces? This guy? How’d he managed that?!”

“My apologies for my Pawn’s naivety,” Sona told them, “He’s young and eager, but he’s still has a lot to learn and needs to appreciate the finer points of civility.”

“Y-yeah,” Saji frowned apologetically as he rubbed the back of his head, “Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay,” Izuku said.

“That reminds me, you’re planning on getting your two recruits familiars soon, right?” Sona asked Rias.

“Yes, what of it?” Rias asked.

“Then it looks like we’ve got ourselves a deadlock,” Sona frowned worriedly. “I planned on getting Saji a familiar for him around the same time. And only one of us can enter the Forest of Familiars.”

“In that case,” Rias smiled, “How about a friendly little contest to sort this whole thing out.”

“A contest?” Sona repeated, looking surprised.

“Whoever wins earns the right to find a familiar first,” Rias challenged, “Does that sound fair?”

Sona arched an eyebrow, “Surely you aren’t talking about a Rating Game.”

Rias chuckled humorously, “Oh, no. We’d never get permission to do something like that.”

Sona gave a relaxed smile, “You have a point about that. Besides, this isn’t the time to call attention to yourself, now is it?”

Rias suddenly frowned as her eyes flashed slightly. “Don’t go there.” Izuku looked at Rias worriedly at the sudden unpleasant look on her face. His worries were eased somewhat as she gave a smile, “I know, let’s settle this the old fashioned high school way with sports.”

“Oh? Sounds interesting. I’m game,” Sona smiled back. From the way the presidents were looking at each other, sparks seemed to fly between them.

“Uh, Yuuto-san,” Izuku whispered, “Is this going to be okay?”

“Don’t worry so much,” Yuuto answered with a smile, “Buchou and Sona-senpai are actually childhood friends and they’ve been competing with each other since they were in diapers. They always challenge each other when they get the chance.”

“Healthy competition? If you say so…” Izuku nodded.

 

* * *

 

The sun was shining brightly the very next day, a perfect day for a tennis match. Saji and a few of the other girls from the Student Council were cheering on Sona as they stood on one end of the caged tennis court, while Izuku, Ibara, and Yuuto rooted for Rias as they stood on the other end. The two girls had rackets at the sides and were dressed in white sleeveless shirts with mini-skirts that gave a small peep show as the wind blowed in the air, not that they seemed to mind as they focused on the match at hand.

Izuku sat on the front bleachers close to the match when his phone rang. He’d received a text from Ochako.

 **Uraraka:  
** _Hey! We’re at the clubroom._ _Where are you guys?_

Izuku chuckled nervously, realizing he and Ibara forgot to tell them about the tennis match.

 **Midoriya:  
** _We’re at a tennis club in town._ _Buchou is having a match with_   _a friend._

 **Jiro:  
** _Whoa! Seriously!?_ _Right now?!_

Kyoka suddenly jumped in. Followed my Momo.

 **Yaoyorozu:  
** _Can we come watch?_

“Sona, I’m in it to win it,” Rias said to her friend, dribbling the tennis ball. “So don’t expect me to go easy.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. May the best devil win,” Sona smirked, the flames of challenge in her eyes.

Izuku sweat-dropped as he sent a reply.

 **Midoriya:  
** _Sure, I’ll send the address._ _But you might want to hurry._

Rias served up the ball into the air and struck it forward. Quickly, Sona received the ball and returned it back. The two young women batted the ball intensely, defending their sides and trying to get it over the other court. With how they were moving, their skirts were getting dragged in the air, flashing their bright white panties.

“Holy whoa, those two are into it,” Izuku said, watching the game play out. “They’re bouncing that ball like crazy.”

Yuuto nodded in agreement. “I’ve never seen Buchou get so into a contest like this before,” he said.

“Is it just me, or is this starting get a bit out of hand?” Koneko questioned rhetorically.

“I… think you may be right,” said Ibara.

Back on the court, Sona smiled confidently as she twirled the ball in her hand, “This game is starting to get repetitive, so how about we make things interesting?” She threw the ball up into the air as her she reared back her racket, the tool glowing in dim blue energy. “Eat this! Sitri Spin Attack!” She slammed the ball against the racket and the now glowing orb zoomed across the stage.

“Oh really? Can you handle the Gremory Counter-Strike?” Rias dared. She reared back her racket as the ball approached her. To her surprise, the ball suddenly changed trajectory before she could make a counter, causing her to miss completely, “Whoah!”

“One point to the Sona-san!” a brown-haired girl with twin pigtails and green eyes, Nimura Ruruko, Sona’s other Pawn, serving as the referee announced.

“No way! She’s using magic!?” Izuku gaped.

“Haha! Suck on that, Midoriya!” Saji laughed, waving a flag with the words ‘Student Council’ written on it.

Izuku sweatdropped upon seeing the display. “I thought only a few were U.A. students, let alone running the student council…”

“Didn’t they agree not to use magic?” Ibara asked.

“I don’t think that’s gonna stop them,” Koneko sighed.

“So much for rules, huh?” Yuuto shrugged, shaking his head.

“Well, Sona, you can cheat all you want to, but in the end, it won’t make a bit of a difference,” Rias smirked. “You want a magic show? I’ve got a few tricks myself,” she boasted with a dramatic pose.

“Do your worst, Rias. Do you think I’m afraid of you? Bring it on!” Sona shot back, pointing her racket in an equally dramatic stance.

And so, the high octane tennis battle between Gremory and Sitri raged on throughout the afternoon, until…

 

* * *

 

“It’s too bad. With the rackets destroyed we had no choice but to end it there,” Rias frowned, looking at the broken racket in her hand. She gave a sigh as she carelessly dropped it.

“But you won, didn’t you?” Ibara asked, tilting her head.

Nearby, Momo, Ochako, and Kyoka were being given the play-by-back of the match by Izuku. Kyoka especially seemed disappointed, though Momo suspected she was disappointed to not see Rias in a tennis outfit.

After the match, the Occult Research Club returned to the clubroom to plan out what to do next. The sun had already set and the candles lit up the room. “I may have won, but only by technicality. But I guess I shouldn’t look at a gift horse in the mouth now, can I? We’ll head out for the Forest of Familiars tomorrow.”

“So uh, what is the Forest of Familiars?” Izuku asked.

“The Forest of Familiars is a where new devils can find a familiar for themselves,” Rias told him. “The main problem is that it only appears during the night of the full moon and only one devil peerage can go there at a time. That’s what the contest was about.”

 

* * *

 

The next day, Rias conjured one of her magic circles, the club room was filled with gentle white light rather than the usual warm red. All devils present filed through, leaving the human world behind.

The group of young devils found themselves in a dark forest. The sky was reflective of the underworld’s bizarre night cycle, being a bluish-purple than the black of the human world. As a result, their surroundings were more purple shadow than anything else, though it didn’t matter to them as devils possessed above normal night-vision.

At some unspoken signal, Rias, Koneko, and Kiba summoned their familiars; the familiars in question nodded to their summoners before scampering off to who knew where. “Where are they going?” Ibara asked.

“It’s tradition,” Rias explained as Moka simply flew up to the branch above them, where she slept upside down. “While they spend their time with us in the human world, when we return for any time it’s expected to let them have time off, so to speak. This is their home after all.” Kiba’s hawk flew off, while Koneko’s white kitten climbed up a tree and disappeared from sight.

“This place sure is spooky,” Izuku commented. It kinda looked like the setting to a horror movie.

“AHOY THERE!” An obnoxiously eager voice called from above and behind. The group turned to find a man standing like an over-eager cub scout on a mission, in a hero pose up on one of the lower branches of the trees. “WELCOME TO THE FAMILIAR FOREST!”

“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Master Zatouji,” Rias inclined her head. “You have my thanks for accommodating us tonight.”

“No thanks are necessary!" The familiar master leaped down to land in front of them, thankfully for his sake, he was speaking at a volume that didn’t grate any of their ears. “Now, how many familiars we looking for tonight!”

“Two for my new servants.”

The man nodded in understanding, “I see. Well then, can I interest you in an adolescent dragon?" The man blurred, and was suddenly next to Izuku, behaving as if the Pawn was a potential familiar. “Good fighting potential, with a Longinus Gear included in the package. Physical condition and performance may be currently pitiful, but with enough time and practice can exceed in all areas. Any takers?”

“Huh?” Izuku and the others stared blankly at the familiar master, somewhat alarmed that he was being described so well, as well as unnerved about apparently being offered like an art piece at an auction. To his dismay, Ibara actually raised her hand. “I’m not a dragon. What gave you that idea?” Izuku muttered.

“He’s right,” Rias said, glaring at Ibara as she lowered her hand. “Izu-kun is already one of _my_ precious servants, and he may have a dragon-type Sacred Gear, but he’s no dragon.”

“Really? I could’ve sworn…” Zatouji shrugged as he looked Izuku over. “Oh well. Now then, what types of familiars are you looking for? A strong type? A fast type? Or a poison type?”

 _‘I feel like I’ve seen this somewhere before…’_ Izuku said to himself. “Uh, I’m not sure. What would you recommend?”

Zatouji smiled at Izuku's question, taking out a catalog from his bag. Flipping through the pages, he stopped and pointed at a drawing of a dragon that took up the whole page. The drawing radiated great ferocity.

“This is what I would recommend! One of the Dragon Kings! Chaos Karma Dragon, Tiamat! She’s a legendary dragon, and also the only female among the Dragon Kings! Even now, there hasn’t been a devil who has caught her yet! That would be obvious! Since she’s said to be as strong as the Four Satans!”

Izuku flinched upon hearing Tiamat’s name. For some reason, the name alone filled him with dread. “N-no thanks, I’m good!”

“Then how about a Hydra?”

As Zatouji explained all the abilities of a Hydra in great detail, particularly how it could easily kill its master, Izuku could only watch in silence. _‘Am I ever like this?’_

“I just want a familiar that’s cute is all,” Ibara said, but Zatouji didn’t seem to hear.

For about half an hour (which felt like several years), Zatouji led the group through the dimly lit forest, talking about a wide verity of familiars that could easily kill their master. Nothing eventful happened, except for a strange slime that attacked. But the worst it did was… dissolve the girl’s clothes, to their embarrassment and the boys shocked. Yuuto, the gentlemen he was, looked away the second the slime was dealt with, while Izuku blushed and covered his face, doing his best to ignore the fact he saw the bare breasts of Rias (again), Ibara and Koneko. Zatouji seemed unfazed by the slime’s attack, stating he’s seen this sort of thing several times before. He received a punch to the gut by a vengeful Koneko for not warning them.

Once the girls acquired new clothing and Zatouji recovered, the group continued on. Eventually, they happened on a large grass-filled clearing. There, resting on a fallen tree, was a tiny reptilian dragon the size of a kitten. Blue scales, white spikes along its spine, and a triangular head. “It’s so cute!” Ibara beamed.

“That is a Sprite Dragon!” said Zatouji.

“Sprite Dragon?” Izuku repeated.

“Yeah, a Sprite Dragon. A baby if I had to guess. Just like its name, it’s a dragon which uses blue lightning. If you are going to catch it, now is the time. You would definitely not be able to catch it once it matures. It won’t be as strong as a Dragon King, but it’s placed in the top-tier normal-class for dragons.”

“Well, Izu-kun? What do you think?” Rias asked.

Izuku lowers his head in thought. The fact it was a baby meant that it won’t kill him right away. Then he noticed that Ibara was eyeing the little drake. Smiling, Izuku said, “I think we should let Ibara catch it.”

Ibara looked generally surprised, then smiled. She looked to Rias with pleading eyes. Rias smiled. “Very well,” she nodded.

Slowly, Ibara approached the little drake. The Sprite Dragon woke upon hearing Ibara’s approach, but it didn’t flee. Rather, it looked at her with curiosity. “Uh, hello,” she said hesitantly. “Can you understand me?” The little drake nodded before jumping onto her shoulder. “Does this mean you want to be my familiar?” It answered by rubbing its head against hers.

“Now that ain’t something you see every day,” Zatouji quipped

 

* * *

 

“…In the name of S-Shiozaki I-Ibara, I order you! Y-You shall become my familiar and respond to my contract!”

At the entrance of the forest, Ibara had opened a green magic-circle, the Sprite Dragon sitting in the middle, the contract ceremony between Ibara and the familiar taking place.

Of course, since Ibara is a beginner, Rias is supporting her. But it seems like the ceremony is progressing very well.

“Normally the Sprite Dragon is a dragon who won’t pledge to a devil, but it seems that girl has a very pure heart. Something like this has never happened before, but it seems like the contract ceremony will finish safely.” Zatouji said.

“Well, she was a Holy Maiden before becoming a devil, so that might have something to do with it,” Yuuto noted.

The light from the magic circle starts to gradually lost its light. Because the contract was finished, the baby dragon flew to Ibara and started to play with her.

“Ahaha! That tickles, Raiku.”

Izuku blinked. “Raiku?”

Ibara blushed. “Yes. He is a dragon who uses ‘Raikō’* and I also used part of your name, Izuku-san. Is that okay?”

“It’s alright,” Izuku replied, walking up to them. “It’s nice to meet you, Raiku-”

Raiku’s body started to glow blue…

_*BUZZ! SHOCK!*_

“Agaaaaaaaaaaah, Gggggggggga!”

Izuku, black and smoking from the electric attack, collapsed to the ground, to Ibara’s shock. “What happened?” he asked.

“I forgot to mention, but male Sprite Dragons hate males from other races,” Zatouji said, also burnt black. Behind him, Yuuto was also charred black, doing his best to put on a refreshing smile.

“What a naughty boy, fufu…” Rias giggled.

“I afraid that time has run out for today,” Zatouji shook off the black. “Apologies for not being able to acquire you a familiar as well.”

“It’s okay,” Izuku muttered, getting up. “I can wait.”

“Are you sure?” Rias asked. “I kinda like the idea of you having a Dragon King as a familiar…”

“Buchou, please, just don’t.”

 

* * *

 

Two-Thousand kilometers away in the human world, a lone figure scanned the damaged building she was in. All around her, glass cases were either broken or melted, their contents missing. A couple of cases were still intact, but the items within were missing too. The only things that were left were simple decor and a silver coffin that was chained and bolted to the floor.

“How in the world did this happen?” she said to herself. “There was no sign of any forced entry, and Zelma…” she stopped, taking a moment to mourn the loss of the Sanctum’s master.

She walked over to one of the broken cases, noting a small amount of liquid inside. She then noticed something: a single, small strand of black hair.

She smiled. “Not much of a lead, but it is one.” Taking the hair in hand, she walked over to one of the few intact pieces on the entire floor: a world map. Making several gestures with her hands, she created a magic circle with fiery energy. She placed the hair in the circle. Sparks from the circle rain down all over the map, but they all mostly disappeared. Except for one that landed on Japan. “Hm. Looks like I’m going home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, the first chapter of the second arc is done! So yeah, no Familiar for Izuku yet but don't worry, he'll get one soon enough. And for those of you wondering about that chick at the end of the chapter who was investigating that Sanctum with the silver coffin, she'll become relevant this arc while the coffin, well, you'll see. 😉
> 
> * Raikō is a Japanese word for ‘lightning’. In the DxD light novels, Asia named her familiar “Rassei” by combining Raigeki (Japanese for ‘lightning strike’) with Issei’s name. So I decided to do something similar.


	8. New Devil

It’s now early November. About two months have passed since Izuku and Ibara became devils. Both have been training hard for the U.A. Entrance Exam, which was now a little over three months away. Ibara had already gone to see Rias, while Izuku, well, he couldn’t help but feel awkward in line. His hands clenched and relaxed while he peeked his head to the right to see the row of people his age and some even younger leading to the open balcony.

 _‘Okay, Izuku. No big deal. It’ll be your turn soon. You just have to stay here a little bit longer.’_ Izuku looked out of the glass window to his left to see a few pigeons flying by. Down below were the roofs of Musutafu's other buildings and skyscrapers, looking far smaller than they did when he first arrived. On the ground, they were giants. Up here, they looked like toy models.

_‘It’s probably going to be a whole other story when I look down.’_

Izuku had never been one to go on tours in tall structures aside from the two or three times he visited Might Tower. Hell, until a week ago, he wouldn’t dare look down from the patio of his apartment.

Now?

He was going out of his way to jump from the top of a skyscraper.

Standing at 950 meters tall, Bespi Tower was the tallest building in Japan and the 5th tallest building in the world. It was a gleaming glass tower with a slanted solar panel-lined roof that provided power to the businesses inside. Bespi Tower was able to maintain its pristine exterior because of the high-altitude classes it sponsored.

Izuku knew about the Bespi Tower ‘Drop Course’ for years. It was a class where, for a couple of thousand yen per person, people could practice using their Quirks or equipment that allowed them to swing, fly, or simply survive a fall from the near one thousand meter drop. It was used both by thrill seekers and for aspiring Heroes who wanted to practice a bit before applying to Hero school.

Rias had told him to practice with his Dragon Force ability. He already was able to maintain that state for a few hours, now he just needed to learn how to fly with the wings it granted him. So, she had him practice by jumping off some trees and the club building. While he now has better control over his wings, he was still having trouble flying with them. Which is why he came here. The worst part was that Izuku decided to do this without letting Rias know. If he failed, or worse chickened out, she’ll be pissed.

Having already summoned his Boosted Gear and activated Dragon Force, Izuku waited in line for his eventual turn to jump off the tallest building in the city. He was understandably nervous.

“First time, huh?”

Izuku turned to his front to see a teenager his age looking back at him. He had black hair that was short in the front yet long in the back, stylized to be spiking downwards. His eyes were almond-colored, and he sported a grin that showed off impressively straight and long teeth. He wore a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt that had the kanji for ‘Millennium’ on the center of a falcon’s neck feathers. His elbows looked like tape dispensers with large cylinder-like protrusions that were sunken in at the center on each side.

“U-Um…” Izuku looked to the side, fumbling for something to say. The other teenager laughed.

“Hey man, no need to be embarrassed by it.” He thumbed towards his face. “I can tell by the way you were shifting and stuttering.”

“It was that obvious, huh?” Izuku took in a deep breath. “Y-Yes. Well, at least from this high up.”

“Well, at least you got some practice in you before coming here.” The boy thumbed over to the front of the line and Izuku saw a burly Hero usher in a sobbing teenage girl away from the launching platform. “Too many guys try to use this as their first jump. They wanna rip off their fear like a Band-Aid and rush things, only to freeze up when it’s time to make the jump!”

Izuku nodded. That made sense. People couldn’t rush things like this, especially when you had nothing but your tools and wit to survive drops from this height. Practice is necessary to get used to the idea of falling as a step towards soaring through the city.

The teenager nudged Izuku, snapping him out of his thoughts. His grin hadn’t let heft his face. “I was just like you, scared out of my mind. Trust me when I say this gets easier with practice.”

“O-Oh… really?”

“Yup!”

A smile spread on Izuku’s face. Not just because of the assurance, but because of the very conversation. Izuku had barely spoken to his peers for years. He only did when they wanted to make fun of him, the only exception being Milia, who went out of her way to talk to him sometimes.

But here?

He wasn’t ‘Quirkless Deku’. This person was talking to him as if he was a normal person! Someone he can converse with him without the baggage of ‘Quirkless nobody’ hanging over his head. It was amazing!

“Name’s Sero by the way,” the teenager grinned while extending his hand. “Sero Hanta.”

Izuku gave a quivery smile and weakly shook the offered hand. “Midoriya I-Izuku. It’s nice to meet you, Sero-san.”

Sero noticed the armored gauntlet on Izuku’s hand. “Whoah! That’s one crazy Quirk!”

Izuku nervously laughed. “Yeah… I’m still trying to figure out what it can do.”

“Hey man, don’t sweat it!” Sero gave him a hearty slap on the back. “It’s no big deal. Anyway, why are you taking this course?”

“I-I’m planning to take the U.A. Entrance Exam.”

“Really?” Sero’s grin widened. “I’m gonna be taking the U.A. Entrance Exam in a couple of months too!”

“Well, isn’t that a funny coincidence?” Izuku and Sero turned back to a blond teenager with a condescending smirk on his face. “I am planning on attending U.A. too. Though…” The boy flicked his hair seemingly for dramatic effect. “If we’re in separate classes, I can assure you that my class will be head and shoulders above yours.”

Both Izuku and Sero sweat-dropped.

“And you are…?” Sero asked.

“Now where are my manners?” The blonde bowed, his right arm extending upward to give the motion more flourish. “Monoma Neito, at your servi-”

He was interrupted when a packet of paper was slapped onto his face. “Okay, kids! Sign these forms!” A supervisor shouted as he tossed Izuku and Sero similar packets with pens. “These state that you are taking this course of your own free will! Bespi Towers will be providing safety precautions in the case of Quirk or equipment failure, but will not be responsible if…”

“Good luck!” Sero winked at Izuku who nodded graciously and started working through the liability forms in his hands.

 _‘Okay. Sign here, check there…’_ Izuku tried to pay attention to the contents, but his eyes glazed over more times than he cared to admit. _‘It’s like they make this stuff boring and long-winded on-purpose so you can’t tell what you can or can’t do.’_ He kept up with the crowd while reading and signing each individual page. It felt like hours, but Izuku managed to sign the last page of the packet. ‘ _Finally! I’m done with…!’_

“Man! What a rush!” Izuku looked up to see Sero walking past him, his cheeks red and his hair disheveled. He patted Izuku on the shoulder and grinned. “Good luck out there, Midoriya.”

“I…I…” Izuku’s teeth began to chatter as he realized where he was. In front of him was the balcony he was going to jump off of. It was a hastily built plastic stepladder that reached the end of the open-air patio usually set up for businessmen to eat their lunches outside. On the right was a bored-looking attendant having a conversation with a Hero wearing a flowing red cape.

 _‘No time like the present, Izuku.’_ He gulped and slowly traded towards the edge and handed the attendant his packet. The man was saying something, but Izuku's ears might as well have cotton in them.

A million thoughts were whirling through his head at once. _‘Oh man, I’m going to have to do this again. And in a city at that! The wind is really strong!’_ The attendant motioned to the platform. Izuku took off his shoes and walked up before peering over the edge.

It was a massive drop alright. The cars and people below were just specks from this height. The familiar feeling of vertigo set in and the ground got further and further away.

_‘If I mess up here and the hero can't catch me in time…!’_

The image of him becoming chunky salsa on the pavement flashed before his eyes. What was he thinking? This was too much. He couldn’t do this… He… He…

[Just relax brat. And have faith.]

Izuku nearly shrieked upon hearing the voice. _‘Who was that?’_

Izuku didn’t get his answer. Instead, the words ‘have faith’ echoed in his head. Those words reminded him that Heroes could be scared like anyone else, but they still kept going.

Izuku took a deep breath and spread his wings. Once he did, he felt his confidence returning with every passing second. _‘This is just the first step of many. One I decided to make on my own.’_

Izuku glanced at the miniature city below before gazing up at the skyline, gilded by the setting sun. His wings twitch in anticipation.

_‘Just have faith.’_

Izuku leaped into the open air.

He allowed his body to flip as his feet left the platform. For a second, time seemed to slow and the world went silent.

Izuku took it all in, the sun glistening off of the polished glass of skyscrapers, the lights from cars, billboards, and phones below glittering like a thousand stage lights, and the feeling of suspended animation that accompanied this blissful moment of freedom.

For a brief moment, Izuku didn’t feel like he was plummeting to the ground.

He was rising.

Then reality set in and Izuku began to fall.

Well, not falling, more like gliding. When he began to flap his wings, he rose somewhat in the air and speed up.

He pulled up, rocketing upwards a second later, sailing past several glass-covered floors. He began to circle the tower, uncaring of the wind now.

The grin spreading across Izuku’s face could rival All Might’s.

This was what Heroes like Hawks and Ryukyu felt when they flew through the city every day.

The wind nipping at his face as he went higher and higher, the crisp, cool air seeping into his lungs, and the sun shining brightly in the distance. It all just felt… natural.

“WOOOHOOOO!”

He steered himself towards the platform, his feet ready to hit the plastic. His landing though didn’t go the way he was expecting. Instead of a graceful stop, when his feet hit the floor he collapsed, landing face first on the floor.

“Ow…” Izuku groaned, taking calming breaths. _‘I need to work on my landings. But that sure was amazing…’_

“Dude! That was awesome!”

A hand reached out and Izuku saw it was Sero.

“T-Thanks!” Izuku took the hand and shakily got to his feet. “I practiced a lot with some friends before coming here.”

“So you said.” Sero looked at him from head to toe. “Must be a big fan of Ryukyu, huh?”

The adrenaline ran its course and Izuku felt his cheeks redden. “U-Um… I guess so…”

“Hey, it’s cool! I like her a lot too! Sure, she isn’t as cool as All Might, but not many are.” Sero shrugged before grinning as he held out his hand. “Say, I hope to see you at U.A. when we pass the entrance exam!”

Izuku smiled as he shook the teenager’s hand. “S-Same! It was nice to meet you, Sero-san!”

As the teens waved each other goodbye, Izuku stayed to complete a small survey to get a free coupon book for his mom. He didn’t mind. His brain was too busy replaying the stunt he just pulled for him to complain. It was electrifying and terrifying, horrible and wonderful all at the same time. It was so tempting to run back up and do it all over again. Being able to fly was simply so amazing.

The goofy smile on his face only widened as he finished that thought.

_‘Guess that solves my fear of heights!’_

After getting a complimentary picture of his jump, Izuku headed to the clubroom to show it off to Rias and the others before going home. Much to Izuku’s joy and embarrassment, his mom framed the picture and placed it right by the front door.

 

* * *

 

That night, Izuku and Ibara were having dinner with Inko, listening to the news as they enjoyed katsudon, Izuku’s favorite, to celebrate what he did earlier today. As they continued to eat, Ibara’s and Izuku’s phones began ringing. “What is it?” Inko asked.

“It’s some of our friends,” Ibara answered.

 **Jiro:  
** _Yo! We’re done!_

Izuku gaped at what Kyoka had sent.

 **Midoriya:  
** _Really?! Already?_

 **Buchou:  
** _There’s no way._

That was Rias.

 **Yaoyorozu:  
** _Yes.  
_ _Come see for yourself._

 **Uraraka:  
** _Come to the beach tomorrow?  
_ _I’m in!_

Ochako suddenly jumped into the conversation. Ibara then added.

 **Shiozaki:  
** _That sounds like a wonderful idea._

 **Jiro:  
** _Yeah :D!  
_ _We can even have a beach party!_

 **Midoriya:  
** _That actually sounds pretty fun, I’m ok with that._

 **Buchou:  
** _I wouldn’t mind ;)_

 **Koneko:  
** _I’ll sit this one out._

Koneko never did like water for some reason.

 **Yaoyorozu:  
** _Just remember your promise, Rias._

 **Buchou:  
** _I’ll have to see the beach with my own eyes first before that, Momo._

 **Jiro:  
** _Well, good night everyone.  
_ _See you tomorrow._

 **Midoriya:  
** _Yeah. Good night guys.  
_ _See you all tomorrow._

Ending the conversation, Izuku and Ibara put away their phones, continuing dinner.

 

* * *

 

“Be careful, and don’t forget to text me when you get there,” Inko told her son and Ibara as they were about to leave the apartment. It was an unusually warm today, making it perfect to go to the beach.

“We will,” Izuku responded as he held a duffle bag that had his clothes and some sunscreen. He was wearing a light yellow t-shirt and dark green swim trunks. “Besides, we’re just going to the beach with some friends, there’s no need to worry.”

“I know,” Inko said quietly, smiling a bit. “I’m just so happy that you made some friends.” Happy couldn’t even begin to describe how she was feeling about Izuku becoming more social and getting more friends. “Ibara-chan, be sure to take care of him.”

“I will, Inko oba-san,” Ibara said, wavering a white one-piece swimsuit with semi-vertical green stripes.

Inko giggled a bit. She couldn’t be happier with how things were going for her son now. Ever since he discovered his Quirk, Izuku has been working hard both physically and academically. And the fact that he was meeting new people. She only ever met Rias but was glad that Izuku had meet Yuuto, Koneko, Kyoka, Momo, and Ochako. She was happy he was making new friends. Mostly girls as well. If she didn’t know better, she would’ve thought Izuku was building a harem.

“Have fun you two! I’ll be sure to have dinner done when you come back!” Inko waved goodbye as Izuku and Ibara left out the door.

When they arrived at the beach, they saw that it was complexity clean. Not a single trace of garbage anywhere. “Oh wow,” Izuku gasped.

“It looks so pretty!” Ibara said as she looked through the beach.

“They really did a good job,” Izuku noted.

“I’ll say!” Looking behind them, Ibara and Izuku saw Ochako, wearing a bright pink bikini and a short blue wrap. Izuku blushed upon seeing Ochako, getting a jealous glare from Ibara.

Ochako giggled at Izuku’s reaction. “Are we the only ones here?”

“Uh, y-yeah. I-It l-looks l-l-like it.” Izuku stuttered.

The three began to settle on the white sand, placing down towels and putting on sunscreen. Once they had finished, Ibara and Ochako began to chat while Izuku sat down, waiting for their friends to show up.

The distinct sound of rock music meant they didn’t have to wait long. “Sorry we’re late. Momo couldn’t find a good swimsuit.” Kyoka called out, wearing a yellow bikini with a black choker. She was carrying a radio, playing American rock music. Behind her was Momo, dragging a cooler and wearing a red string bikini with black highlights, which highlighted her rather mature body.

Once again, Izuku blushed upon seeing them. “I-i-it’s f-f-fine!” he stuttered, trying his best to ignore Momo’s smooth, hourglass figure. It didn’t help that her breasts were nearly the same size as Rias’, if not a little bigger.

“You guys did an amazing job!” Ochako beamed, either oblivious or uncaring of Izuku’s plight. “I barely recognized this place.”

“Thanks, but Momo did most of it,” Kyoka said. “I just helped.”

“You did plenty, Kyoka,” Momo said. “So, where’s Rias-san?”

“She and Kiba-san said they would be late,” Ibara answered. “They should be here soon.”

Right on cue…

“Hey, guys!” The friendly voice of Yuuto called. He was wearing a white t-shirt and dark blue swim trunks.

“Kiba-san, hello,” Izuku greeted.

“Nice of you to make it, pretty boy,” said Kyoka.

“Where’s Rias-san?” Momo asked.

Yuuto looked around awkwardly before giving Izuku a concerned look. “She’s coming. Just… brace yourself.”

“What do you mean?” Izuku asked, confused by Yuuto’s statement.

“Sorry for being late.”

Izuku and the girls heard the familiar voice of Rias and turned… where Izuku and Kyoka went lava red. Heading towards them was Rias, wearing a very… revealing swimsuit. Both pieces were hot pink with darker highlights. She also had a small bag over her right shoulder and wore sunglasses.

“W-w-w-whoa.” Kyoka muttered as her head turned dark red while steam escaped out of Izuku’s ears.

Rias, upon seeing Izuku and Kyoka’s reactions, smirked and struck a bit of a pose. “Like what you see?” She said, causing Izuku to release steam through his whole body and Kyoka to have a small stream of blood to come out of her nose.

“Buchou! Stop!” Ibara yelled, placing her hands over Izuku’s eyes.

Rias giggled at Ibara’s protectiveness. “Oh, Ibara. I was just teasing. Izu-kun’s reactions are so cute that I can’t help myself.” Rias looked throughout the beach, seeing nothing but clean sand and crystal blue water. “You two really did it.”

Yuuto looked impressed too. “Wow, you and Yaoyorozu-san seriously did all this?”

“Yeah, it wasn’t easy… at all.” Kyoka said remembering the experience entirely. Honestly, she couldn’t recall a single day where they weren’t sore and/or aching from head to toe.

“I can tell,” Ochako poked Kyoka in the arm. “You and Yaoyorozu-san don’t look like it, but you’re both buffed.”

Momo smiled proudly, “Thanks. So, does that mean…?”

Rias nodded. “We’ll do the reincarnation later. Right now, let’s enjoy the beach!”

“HAI!”

And so the group spent part of the day having fun at the beach. They didn’t swim much though since the water was a little too cold. By the time afternoon rolled around, the group were picking up their things. Rias had brought her Evil Pieces, so there was no reason to delay the reincarnation in Momo’s eyes. She was a _little_ excited about becoming a devil, to Ibara, Izuku, and Ochako’s… surprise.

“Now then, before we can begin, mind explaining your Quirk?” Rias asked.

“Why yes,” a Russian matryoshka doll that had some resemblance to her grew out of Momo’s hand. “My Quirk is Creation. I can use my lipids to create any nonliving thing I can imagine, so long as I know its molecular and chemical makeup. But I also have another Quirk,” her hand was soon surrounded by sparks of electricity. “I can generate and control lightning.”

Ochako, with wide eyes, gasped. “…Wow.”

“So cool!” Izuku gasped.

Rias nodded. “I can tell that you’re very powerful, even if you exaggerated a few details,” Momo and Kyoka notably flinched. Reaching into her bag, Rias pulled out a red chest piece. “I say you’re most suited as a Queen,” she handed the piece to Momo, who graciously accepted it. Momo was then enveloped by a bright crimson glow. Once it died down, two devil wings appeared from her back.

“Whoa! They look good on you, Momo,” Kyoka stated.

Momo seemed almost transfixed on her wings, to the point she didn’t notice Kyoka’s compliment. She snapped out of it when Rias spoke up. “What about you, Kyoka-chan? Interested in becoming a devil?”

“I think I’ll pass for now,” Kyoka replied. “I’ll let you guys know if I change my mind.”

“Very well,” Rias nodded. The redhead then looked to Ochako. “What about you, Uraraka-san? Interested in becoming my servant?”

“Uh… I’ll think about it?” Ochako replied, not really sure how else to answer.

“All right, then let’s head over to the club room, Momo-chan. We’ll discuss the full details about your abilities there.”

“Yes, Buchou.”

 

* * *

 

Later that night, Rias received an urgent message from one of the rulers of the Underworld, reporting that a stray devil had found refuge somewhere in her territory. She had called up everyone in her group to take care of the task at once. The group of young devils teleported in front of an abandoned manor on the outskirts of town. It was old, really old. Mold was covering the walls, windows were shattered, and paint was peeling off. Clearly, it hadn’t been taken care for years, and it was the perfect place for a stray devil to call home. This particular stray devil had been hiding out for several weeks and lured unsuspecting humans to feast on.

“Izu, Ibara, Momo, since this is your first-time stray devil hunting I need the three of you to observe carefully,” Rias instructed as they entered the manor. “Watch how your senpai deals with the stray devil. We don’t know how much power it’s gained over this time so extra caution is needed.”

“Right. Lead the way,” Izuku nodded. Ibara, who only had the time to learn a couple of defensive spells, stuck close to Izuku.

Rias nodded before she looked to her Rook. “Koneko, if you would be so kind?”

The small girl nodded mutely before stepping forward to the building and opened the door. Well, it be more accurate to say she knocked the door down with one punch.

As the Gremory group moved inside Momo spoke up. “Stray devils are devils who’ve gone rogue, correct?” Momo asked, sticking close to Rias, being the most recent and inexperience. “How come?”

“Devils, like everyone else, are all different,” Rias explained, the group walking through a large living room with various broken furniture and equipment scattered about. “Therefore their reasons for turning rogue vary. Regardless, devils still do need to survive like humans do and should they go drunk with power they often turn to humans for sustenance. This is bad for us in two ways; senseless loss of life and risking exposure of the supernatural.”

Koneko, who was walking in front, suddenly came to a stop as something came into her nostrils. She sniffed the air quickly and narrowed her eyes. “It’s here.” At Koneko’s words, everyone tensed and began smelling the strong scent of blood mixing into the air that was already filled with the stench of the rotting manor. They were also alerted by the presence of something very iniquitous waiting for them. Large footsteps thundered in the room.

A soft, yet deranged voice then spoke up. “I can smell something disgusting. But I can also smell something delicious. Is it sweet? Or is it sour?”

“Stray Devil Viser,” Rias declared, hands on her hips, “You have abandoned your master, allowed your powers to corrupt you and committed atrocities in the human world. These crimes cannot be overlooked. By order of the Duke of Gremory, surrender or be destroyed!”

Viser laughed and continued to do so as something landed next to the group with a thunk. It was the body of a young woman, at least what’s left of it. Only the head and upper torso remain, everything from the elbows down was gone.

“W-what the…?!” Momo gaged, placing a hand over her mouth to keep herself from throwing up. Ibara and Izuku fared somewhat better, after witnessing Freed’s handiwork, though they too were still having a hard time to not throw up.

“My, my,” purred Viser as she stepped into view. The upper body of a woman moved towards them from the shadows. Topless, the she-devil was floating well above them, her lower body still hidden in the darkness. In her hands were two spears, fresh blood dripping from them. “You sure do talk big, little girl. How about I dye this room blood red just like your hair?”

 _‘Why is she naked?!’_ Izuku, Ibara, and Momo all thought, Ibara covering Izuku’s eyes as they collectively blushed.

And that’s when she showed the rest of her body from the darkness and it was nowhere near as beautiful. From her hips downwards she had the body of a lion, with the front legs ending in claw-like hands and a snake-like tail. Her upper body was the epitome of beauty and lust, but she was clearly a hideous monster.

Momo, Ibara, and Izuku bulged their eyes at the horrific sight. This woman was truly twisted, both inside and out. Yuuto, who took note of their faces, chuckled lightly, “This is what happens to a devil whenever they go out of control. Their bodies and minds get twisted and ugly.”

“Twisted is right…” Izuku muttered, no longer blushing at the fact Viser was naked.

“Relax, this should be easy,” Rias reassured him. “Yuuto,” it was both an acknowledgment and an order simultaneously. With a nod, Yuuto blurred out of existence.

Momo gaped in shock. “Wha… Where did he-”

Yuuto reappeared in midair and, with two blades in his hands, dashed through Viser. The she-devil’s arms were cut off with ease, blood spewed out violently, causing her to scream and thrash both in pain and outrage.

“He’s fast,” Momo said.

“Momo, do you remember that explanation about Evil Pieces I told you about earlier?” Rias asked.

Momo nodded. “Yes. As your Knight, Kiba-san has unparalleled speed. Combine that with his mastery over bladed weapons and he becomes a skilled warrior, most capable in delivering precise, surgical strikes.”

“Correct,” as Rias said this, the two forelegs of Vizer’s beast half were neatly cut at the knees as Kiba reappeared before her, silver longsword clenched in his right hand. Vizer stumbled before rearing up on her hind legs. She tottered unsteadily before rushing forward as to stomp on him. Before she could, Koneko rushed forward. Lifting both hands above her as if to ward off the blow, the little girl easily halted Vizer's advance.

“In contrast, Koneko is a Rook. Her traits include both high defensive capability and absolute strength. Because of that, she can shrug off the greatest of blows and then return them with equal force.”

Koneko then pushed upwards, forcing the beast further back.

“…Fly.”

She then jumped up and delivered an earth-shattering punch to the beastly stomach of the stray’s lower half. With a bang, Vizer was sent flying back into a wall, causing dust to start falling from the ceiling.

“Shiozaki-san is your Bishop, who have enhance magical abilities,” Momo continued. “Midoriya-san is your Pawn, who can promote himself to any other piece except for King when in enemy territory.”

“And last but not least there’s you, my Queen,” Rias said. “As Queen, you are the strongest out of all the Evil Pieces and have the traits of the Rook, Knight, and Bishop all combined.” Rias then stepped aside. “Would any of you care to have a shot?”

The three newest members all looked to Viser, who seemed to be on the verge of throwing up. “I’m not sure I have it in me,” Ibara admitted.

“Me either,” said Izuku.

Rias then looked to Momo. The Queen sighed. “I’ll give it a shot.” With a flick of her wrist, she summoned a bolt of lightning to strike down onto Visor. The stray devil screeched in pain as the lightning scorched her body and burnt her flesh.

Momo suddenly blushed for some reason. “Is everything okay, Yaoyorozu-san?” Izuku asked.

“Uh I’m fine,” Momo lied, not wanting to admit that she liked hearing Viser’s screams. She didn’t understand why but it… turned her on.

Rias walked over to the stray devil and stood before her, seeing the burns, cuts, and bruises covering her body. “Any last words?”

Visor slowly looked up at Rias with a glare, “Just… get it over with…”

Rias’ eyes turned red as red and black mist engulfed her hands, “Ashes to ashes…” she shot out a stream of pure destruction, engulfing the stray devil on the spot. The blast quickly vanished, and all that remained of Visor was a trench of black soot. “…And dust to dust.” The limbs that Yuuto hacked early also disappeared, melting away into icky black goo.

“Wow, so this is how devils do business,” Ibara whispered in awe. Izuku couldn’t help but nod in agreement. The things devils have to deal with to keep things from going out of control was really nothing to scoff out.

“That’s all for tonight. Good work everyone,” Rias smiled, clapping her hands together. “You may all go home for the evening.”

“Hai, Buchou!” everyone answered. A magic circle appeared underneath the group before teleporting all of them out of the room and disappearing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: Did a minor change to when Momo’s explaining her powers.


	9. The Kaika Hero

The next day, Ochako had asked Izuku to help her study for the written portion of the U.A. entrance exam. “Thanks again for coming,” Ochako said as she led Izuku through the neighborhood she lives in. “But did you have to come with, Shiozaki-chan?”

Ibara, who was walking right behind Izuku, replied, “I need some help with the written portion as well.” _‘Besides, I don’t like the idea of Izuku-san spending time with another girl alone.’_ She mentally added.

Soon they arrived at a rather modest apartment building, seemingly smaller than the apartments where Izuku and Ibara lived at. “This is where you live?” Izuku asked, rather surprised.

“Yeah. A friend of my dad is the landlord and he lets me stay here,” Ochako said as they reached her apartment. “It’s really cheap, so I don’t have to worry too much about rent.”

Ochako placed a key into her doors lock and turned.

“Huh?”

“Is something wrong, Uraraka-san?” Izuku asked.

“It’s not locked.”

They suddenly felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, sensing something was off. “What’s this weird feeling?” Ibara silently said as Ochako opened the door-

“OCHAKO!”

“KYA!” “EEK!” “GAH!”

The three clung to each other as soon as they heard the shouts and saw what appeared to be a couple of crazy individuals rushing over to them from within the apartment. A moment later the unexpected newcomers stopped right in front of them, and as soon as the three of them calmed down, Ochako immediately noticed how familiar the pair looked. Recognizing the duo, she immediately gasped in pleasant surprise.

“Mom! Dad!” Ochako exclaimed. “What are you doing here?!”

“We came to check up on you,” her mother answered.

“B-but what about work? Did you come on the bullet train? When? How!? I can’t believe you’re here!” Ochako ran and hugged her parents, who happily returned it.

“These are your parents, Uraraka-san?” Ibara asked.

“Yep! Did you guys really come all the way here just to check up on me?”

“Well, that, but I have my own reasons,” the three teens looked into the apartment at the source of the new voice. It was a young woman, dressed in a light-blue haori with white snowflakes and red-orange hakama over a light blue kimono, with a white tasuki. She’s also wearing a long, white scarf with a light-blue snowflake pattern around her neck. Her dark green eyes contrasted with her light-pink hair, which is tied in a long ponytail, reaching all the way down to below her waist, an orange ribbon keeping it in place. On the right side of her hips was a what looked like a katana, it’s silver guard shaped like a snowflake and its sheath was a dark blue.

 _‘She looks familiar,’_ Izuku noted.

Ochako recognized her right away, her face beaming with excitement as her smile widened. “Mizu-oneechan!” with the excitement of a little girl on Christmas Morning, Ochako ran up and hugged the woman.

“Aha! You’ve gotten so big, Chako!” Mizu happily returned the hug. “I almost didn’t recognize you.”

“Excuse me, but Uraraka-san, who is this?” Ibara asked.

“This is my old babysitter,” Ochako said, letting go of the older girl.

Mizu gave a light bow to the two devils. “Allow me to introduce myself: I’m Mizushima Akari, formerly the Pro Hero Ryūtō.”

Izuku gasped, finally recognizing her. “I’ve heard about you! The Kaika Hero: Ryūtō! You were the youngest Pro Hero to start their agency in history at 19, second only to Hawks!”

Mizu giggled, “Yeah, I was. But then… certain things happen,” Mizu grew somewhat nervous. “But enough about me, who are your new friends?”

“Oh, I’m M-Midoriya Izuku.”

“I’m Shiozaki Ibara. A pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is ours, dear,” Mrs. Uraraka said.

Mizu smiled, “You guys sure are friendly for devils,” she said.

“Huh?” Ibara, Izuku, and Ochako exclaimed. _‘How does she know?!’_

“Guess you were right, Mizu,” Mr. Uraraka gave a hearty laugh after seeing their reactions.

“Huh? Huh?” _‘They know?!?!’_

“I gotta admit, Chako, when I heard you made friends with the Gremory Princess, I was rather shocked.”

“Huh? Huh? Huh?”

“Why don’t we head in?” Mizu suggested. “I’m sure you have questions. As do I.”

 

* * *

 

“I’m a witch?!” Ochako exclaimed. She, Ibara, Izuku, her family, and Mizu were in the kitchen, sitting at the chabudai, enjoying some sandwiches and tea. At least they were before Ochako’s mother told her that bombshell.

“To put it more accurately, you're half-witch. But yes,” Mrs. Uraraka said as she sipped some tea.

“I… But… HOW!?”

“Try to take it slow, Chako,” Mizu finished her tea. A split second later, the cup refilled itself. “It was a bit much for me too, but you have the advantage of having a devil for a boyfriend.”

The silence that settled over the apartment was nearly complete, except for Ochako and Ibara choking on their food.

“WHAT?” the three teens cried in unison.

“W-what g-g-gave you t-that i-idea!?” Izuku stuttered.

“Well, you did come here with Chako,” Mizu stated. “Guess I just assumed-”

“IT’S FINE,” yelped Ochako, face turning beet red. “We’re not- really, I’m- it’s totally fine that- really, we’re just FRIENDS, I-”

“They’re not- He’s not- I-!” Ibara was unable to form a coherent response.

Mizu smiled, enjoying their reactions. _‘Oh, so that’s how it is?’_ Deciding to change the subject, Mizu added, “Anyway, you are a witch, Chako. You just haven’t learned how to tap into your own natural magic yet.”

“But why tell me this now?” Ochako asked, having calmed down somewhat.

“You never really ended to know,” Mr. Uraraka replied. “Your mother left her old group a couple of years before we meet, and she wanted to make sure you didn’t feel any different from everyone else.”

“…I’m not gonna start riding a flying broomstick, am I?”

“No, that’s more of a stylistic choice than anything really, though still a fairly popular one,” Mrs. Uraraka said.

Uraraka looked down, staring at the tea she hasn’t touched yet. “Why tell me this now, then?”

“It’s like I said: You now know about the existence of the supernatural thanks to your friends here,” Mizu gestured to Ibara and Izuku. “It was only a matter of time before you leaned about your heritage, especially since you’ve made friends with the Devil King’s little sister.”

“Wait, hold on. Buchou has siblings?” Izuku asked.

“She didn’t tell you?” Mizu asked. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. From what I hear, Lucifer and the other Satans are a little… quirky. She probably didn’t want to cause you or him any trouble.”

“Anyway, is the reason why you came back just to tell me about my heritage?” Ochako asked.

“Not exactly,” Mizu said. “I have other reasons for coming back. Which reminds me… Can you two give this to Rias Gremory for me?” She reached into her robe and pulled out a letter with four slashing curves arranged differently for a seal.

“Uh, sure,” Izuku took the letter. “Can I ask why?”

“I just want to meet with her and the other high-class devils in the city.”

“We should probably leave then,” Ibara and Izuku stood up. “I was a pleasure to meet you.”

 

* * *

 

That night, after Ochako’s parents left for home, Ochako began making dinner, which consisted of two microwave cups of ramen and green tea. “Man, I missed cup ramen!” Mizu giddily slurped up the ramen. “And green tea is so much better than that stupid yak butter tea.”

“Uh, yeah,” Ochako nodded as she continued to eat. “So, how exactly did you become a wizard?”

“Sorcerer,” Mizu corrected. “And it’s a bit of a long story. Remember when you and your parents visited me at the hospital?”

Ochako nodded. “I remember the look you had in your eyes the most. You looked so… crushed…”

Mizu stopped eating for a moment, her head hung low. “My entire world came crashing down after what happened. But then your mother told me to head to Katmandu, find a place called Domagoj. She said that if they were willing to give me a chance they could help me walk again. So, using up what money I had, I went to Katmandu, where I meet the Doc.”

“Doc?”

“Yeah,” Mizu finished her cup ramen. “I had to beg him to let me into Domagoj. When they did, he… Okay, I was a little skeptical. He showed me things you’d find at any gift shop, like chakra graphs or incense and even a book about acupuncture. I was seriously close to burning his face off, when he, kinda… pushed my soul out of my body.”

“He what?”

“I know, it was a total shock. Then he sent my soul through some dimensions… It honestly felt like some kind of drug and alcohol induced hallucination. I even asked if they put something in that tea they gave me… It was just yak butter with honey, blah! Anyway, I began studying magic and training under the Doc, who taught me how to do things like this,” she moved her fingers up and down in a circular motion, a dazzling orange energy sprouting from his fingertips and opening up in a rift… which Mizu calmly reached into, pulling out a bunch of bananas.

Ochako stared wide-eyed at the display. “That’s awesome…”

“It took me about a year before I could walk again, and another to relearn how to run. Once I did I was taught some old school martial arts like karate and judo. He even gave me this,” she gestured to her swords, “the Yukinoha, the Blade of Infinite Winters.”

“Why’s it called that?”

Suddenly the sword unsheathed itself, the temperature of the room suddenly dropping as it did so. Ochako began to shiver, staring at the sword in fear.

“It’s alive?!”

Mizu grabbed hold of the swords handle, “Yeah, it’s technically a living thing, one with a fiery temper, ironically.” Mizu forcibly re-sheathed the blade. “Down girl.”

“…So, am I gonna get something like that?”

“Maybe,” Mizu was tapping the tip of Yukinoha’s handle, having a look that made her resemble a mother scolding her child. “You first need to learn basic magic, like telekinesis and portal creation, but I’m willing to let you keep one of the relics when we recover them.”

Ochako beamed at that. “Okay, so where do we start?”

 

* * *

 

The next day, Izuku and Ibara headed toward the clubroom after school like normal. Usually, it was to either train or do jobs, but today was slightly different. After giving Rias the letter, she seemed to freak out a little upon seeing the seal. After reading the letter, she asked him and the others to arrive early today, saying that some friends of hers will be attending the meeting today with Mizu. “What do you think that letter said?” He asked her once they reached U.A.’s campus.

“I’m not sure,” Ibara replied. “It must be serious if Buchou-san is meeting with Mizu-san.”

“Hey, you! With the freckles!”

A playful voice made Izuku and Ibara turn around. “Uh, yes?” he asked since he was the only one of the two with freckles. The person who called him was a girl around a year older than him. She wore the standard uniform for U.A. Academy with black thigh-high stockings with garters and black boots. She was rather tall, about 170 cm. She had a very cute face with red-violet eyes and dark hair with a cowlick sticking out at the top. She was also wearing a pair of blood ruby earrings. Her skin was in a light cream colored tone, and her figure was curvy and very luscious to look at.

“Uh, who are you?” Izuku asked, a light blush on his face.

The dark-haired girl gave a small snicker as she gave a small two-fingered salute with a wink, “Kudelia Dantarion, second-year general studies student and president of the Newspaper Club, at your service.”

“Is there something you want from us?” Ibara asked her.

“No. I just came to see you. Well, him specifically,” Kudelia replied.

“Me?”

“Yeah, yeah. I was really hoping to see the person that Rias has her eyes on,” she said, her eyes moving up and down on his body. “She’s a nice girl but catching her attention isn’t very easy, ya know.”

“I b-bet,” Izuku said. “I mean, it’s actually kinda surreal for me too.”

“After that, I wanted to take the opportunity to sample some delicious-looking young boys…” Kudelia quickly said, licking her lips as she suddenly went into a daze. She blinked as she suddenly remembered who she was talking to. “Wait, maybe I shouldn’t put it like that? Ignore what I just said.”

“H-hai…” Izuku nervously nodded slowly.

Ibara, however, glared daggers at Kudelia.

“Hehehe! But seriously, I like you, kid! I can see why Rias is so taken by you!” Kudelia laughed. “You’re cute but you’ve got something that a lot of people would love to have!”

“You’re… talking like you and Buchou have known each other for a long time,” Izuku said. “Not to sound insulting, but…”

“Hm, yeah,” Kudelia answered, folding her arms behind her head as she turned around to pace a few steps. “Rias has a totally sexy bod and she’s got nice tits so not a lot of people know that I’m associated with her.” She turned her head to look over her shoulder. “But…”

At that moment, the meter of distance between Izuku and Kudelia vanished.

“Eh-”

Izuku only blinked before he realized that she had gotten so close to him. Kudelia had him pressed against a tree with her arms over his shoulders and gracefully flattened herself against his chest, and was now turning her eyes at him seductively. _‘SO CLOSE!’_

Ibara could only gape at what she was seeing. _‘TOO CLOSE!!’_ She internally screamed, jealously raging within her.

“Maybe later tonight, we can both learn about each other,” Kudelia smiled, enjoying the growing red on Izuku’s face. “How about you come over to the newspaper club so we can-”

“What do you think you’re doing, Kudelia?” a stern voice asked from over their heads.

“Wah!” Kudelia jumped comically before turning around. Standing before her was Sona, her arms folded and a look of displeasure on her face. “Holy shit, Sona! Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

“Practice what you preach,” Sona retorted, “Hitting on younger boys again I see, and not only that but Rias’ Pawn no less. What do you think would happen if she found you were coming on to her Pawn, hm? And you were about to grope him just now, right?”

At that, Izuku quickly placed his hands over his crotch, while Ibara grabbed him by the arm and pulled him toward her in a protective manner.

“Ehehehe,” Kudelia giggled as she bopped herself on the head. “I just wanted to see what Rias found so interesting from him.”

“Wait, Shitori-senpai. You mean she’s…” Izuku asked, clues starting to come together already.

“Yes. Kudelia here is like me and Rias, a devil from high society. She represents the Dantalion Household,” Sona explained to them.

Kudelia gave a small bow, “My real name is Kudelia Dantalion. Nice to meet you in person, Pawn and Bishop of Rias Gremory.”

Izuku and Ibara blinked, running Kudelia’s family name and fake name through their heads. _‘Dantarion… Dantalion… There’s barely any difference!’_ They sweat-dropped inwardly.

“Anyway, I apologize for disturbing you like this, Midoriya, Shiozaki,” Sona said to them ruefully, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I’ll take this perv off your hands now.”

“Humph! Stiff as a board as always, huh Sona? You really need to learn to loosen up or everyone will just look at you like some kinda sourpuss!” Kudelia scolded childishly, raising her hands as they groped invisible air, “I know, how about a nice relaxing chest massage to cool your jets? They might get bigger too! Squeezy, squeezy~!”

Sona immediately flushed as she covered her chest, “I like my chest the way it is and I get enough of that from my sister!”

“Oh, a little skinship between sisters? That sounds so juicy! Do tell!”

“ENOUGH ALREADY!” Sona yelled, stomping her foot with a blush as Kudelia laughed.

Ibara could only blush at the implications of what Kudelia said, covering Izuku’s ears in a vain attempt to keep him from hearing.

Izuku, however, couldn’t help but think. How many more students in U.A. were really devils? Did Kudelia have a peerage herself?

“Calm down, Sona. I’m just teasing. No need to drown me,” shrugged Kudelia before turning to Izuku. “And one more thing. Me, Rias, and Sona are the only high-class devils at U.A. You don’t have to worry about anymore popping up.”

“Wait, how did know what I was-”

“CUZ I CAN READ MINDS!” Kudelia roared dramatically with arms raised over her head, making Izuku shrink to the ground. “Just screwing with you. It was written all over your face,” she smirked, lowering her arms.

“Uh… right,” Izuku said, slowly getting back to his feet. If Rias’ club was a front for her peerage and Sona’s student council was a front for hers, then it was possible that Kudelia’s club also acted as a front for her own peerage.

“If you’re quite finished, I believe we should be leaving now. See you tonight Midoriya, Shiozaki,” Sona said, walking away.

“Catch you later~!” Kudelia waved as she followed Sona.

“…I don’t like her,” Ibara muttered.

“Uh, Ibara, can you let me go now?”

 

* * *

 

In the clubroom, Ochako and Mizu sat on one of the sofas, being served tea by Yuuto. Across from them were Koneko, Izuku, and Ibara. Rias sat at the desk, Momo standing by her side. Night had fallen and they were expecting the Sitri group and the newspaper club to arrive shortly. There was a rapid knock on the door, followed by a cheerful “We’re here~!” The room’s door opened up, and in stepped Kudelia, followed by a group of girls. “Hey, gang! Thanks for having us!” Kudelia smiled.

“Glad you could come at such short notice, Kudelia,” Rias smiled, standing up from her desk.

“The pleasure’s all mine Rias,” Kudelia greeted back. “And you finally managed to increase your group’s numbers a bit,” she remarked, looking back and forth at the newest members of Rias’ peerage. Her eyes landed on the newest male in particular and waved. “Hey Midoriya, happy to see you again.”

“…Um, yeah. Hey, Dantarion-senpai,” Izuku nodded, blushing slightly as the vivid memory of her brushing up against him came back.

Ibara just glared at Kudelia.

“Oh, I see you’re already acquainted with my Pawn,” Rias remarked.

“Miss Kudelia met with your Pawn and Bishop several hours before,” the girl next to Kudelia spoke. She was rather tall, about 2 meters, and had a lean build. She was wearing the standard U.A. school uniform for girls. She had long black hair, an orang headband holding back her bangs and her eyes were brown. She had dog tags around her neck, and wore red sneakers. “I would’ve gone with her to make sure she didn’t try anything, but she dumped a bunch of paperwork onto me before I had the chance.”

“Oh, hush you,” Kudelia retorted. “Anyway, this is Tye Longshadow. She’s my Queen. A bit of a stuck-up, but she’s also very reliable. And I think you already know another person of my group.” As she said this, another step forward. Izuku quickly stood up in surprise, already recognizing her.

“Takamaki-san?” Izuku blinked. It was his classmate from middle school.

“Hello!” the glasses-wearing blunette smiled back at him. “Small world, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Izuku replied. _‘Is she the reason Dantarion-senpai knew about me?’_

“Since you already know of my Pawn and Bishop, it should only be fair for you to know of my Queen,” Rias said, gesturing at said Queen, “Yaoyorozu Momo.”

“Pleased to meet you, senpai,” Momo bowed.

“Hmm…” Kudelia analyzed her, rubbing her chin, “You really know where to pick em, Rias. And as a bonus, your Queen has a really hot bod.”

“…Huh?” Momo muttered. The smirk the raven-haired King was giving her didn’t help.

“Sexual harassment is not allowed, hot-blooded hentai-senpai,” Koneko frowned at her direction.

“Ah, as cold as ever Koneko,” Kudelia snickered, completely unfazed by the glare. “You really have to learn to smile more. Ah, whatever,” Kudelia then noticed Mizu and Ochako. “Who are these two?”

“The reason I’ve asked for you and Sona,” Rias answered. “I’ll explain everything once she and her peerage arrive. In the meantime, how about you introduce your peerage to my new members.”

“Sure.” She looked back over her shoulder at the rest of her peerage behind her. “Alright people, go introduce yourselves to your new juniors.”

Milia was the first to step forward. “Hai! Milia Takamaki, Kudelia-sama’s Bishop. I’m happy to meet my new juniors today!” she said quickly before bowing.

The next girl stood forward after Milia did a light bow. “Halò. I’m Cammie MacCloud, Kudelia’s other Bishop. Nice to meetcha!” She spoke in a Scottish accent. Cammie had long blonde hair, green eyes, and freckles. She is rather petite in stature, and her hair is held up in a ponytail by a device that resembles both a mechanical set of rabbit ears and a hair bow. Her attire consisted of a long-sleeved hooded top in shades of green, black and white, accented by pink details. She’s also wearing a pair of black goggles.

The next girl to step forward was a little taller than Momo, about 180 cm, though her bust size was half of that of Momo’s. She had long gray hair tied in a sideways ponytail and gray eyes. She also has dark gray glasses. “…Hello. I’m Narukami Yuko, Kudelia-senpai’s Knight. A pleasure to meet you.” She said politely, though Izuku and the others couldn’t help but notice the lack of emotion she seemed to have.

“My name is Alexandra Dumas, Miss Kudelia’s other Knight. It’s a pleasure.” The next girl to step up was tall and curvy, about the same hight as Yuuto. She looked incredibly athletic, yet at the same time had a unique finesse to her. She had long brown hair that went past her shoulders with deep red eyes. She wasn’t as endowed as most of the other girls, being slightly bigger than Kyoka. Her light bronze skin showed some Latino heritage. She also spoke with a slight French accent.

“Hey! I’m Jessie James, Miss Kudelia’s Rook.” The next to introduce herself was slightly taller than Izuku. Her dark-red hair was rather short, only reaching to the tips of her shoulders and her eyes were purple. She wore the girls U.A. uniform, though with a vest instead of a blazer.

“I’m Nishino Nanase, Kudelia-sama’s other Rook,” the next to introduce themselves was a young girl with light brown hair in pigtails and green eyes. She wore a school uniform that consisted of a white shirt with a tan vest and a light green bow tie, a green miniskirt, and brown small ankle-combat boots with wings attached to them.

“Hi, I’m Celica A. Mercury, Miss Kudelia’s Pawn of five pieces. A pleasure to meet you!” This girl had long, auburn hair tied into a ponytail with a red ribbon, pale skin, and bright eyes that are a soft, reddish-brown color. He chest was notably well developed, bigger than Ochako’s.

“Ackerman Makoto. Kudelia-sama’s Pawn, worth three.” The last girl in the group showed even less emotion than Koneko. She had dark hair and gray eyes and wore a light brown hoodie, brown pants, and dark gray combat boots.

“So you got yourself a new Rook and found someone suitable for your Knight. Impressive, you’ve completed your set,” Rias nodded, looking at Nanase and Yuko.

“Well, I do admit that I had a bit of trouble recruiting them, but it was well worth it in the end. I’m not as picky as you or Sona,” Kudelia said, sounding a bit smug.

“Quality over quantity, Kudelia,” Rias retorted, “You don’t need to outnumber your enemies to overwhelm them.”

“Since you’re the Crimson Haired Princess of Ruin, I’m sure that power is all you care about,” Kudelia continued, her smile turning somewhat bitter. Before Rias could reply, there was another knock at the door.

It was the Sitri peerage. With three different devil peerages crammed in one room despite it being large, it was a full house, so some of them had to stand or sit on the floor. It was a good thing that there were some extra chairs around the room just in case.

Once everyone was settled, Rias spoke up. “Thank you for arriving everybody. I know this is sudden but this meeting was done at the request of our guest,” she gestured toward Mizu. “This is Mizushima Akari, formerly the Pro Hero Ryūtō, and a representative from Kamar-Taj.”

Suddenly, the room grew very quiet. But all of the younger devils were simply confused, in particular, Izuku, Ibara, Momo, and Saji. “Whoa! Are you serious?!” Kudelia asked.

“Uh, can someone explain why you’re all freaking out?” Saji asked. “What’s Kamar-Taj?”

“We’re a group of sorcerers whose mission is to maintain peace across the supernatural world,” Mizu answered, standing up. “We’re sometimes called the Masters of the Mystic Arts, which is accurate since, thanks to our power and influence, some consider us the fourth faction to the devils, angels, and fallen angels.”

 _That_ caused the eyes of the young devils to widen. “Seriously?!” Saji gaped.

“Indeed,” said Sona. “I’ve even heard that their leader, the Sorcerer Supreme, is one of the ten most powerful beings in the world. It was partly because of Kamar-Taj that the war between the three factions ended when it did.” She then looked to Mizu. “So what brings you here?” Sona asked.

“A few reasons, but I’ll start with the most important. About two months ago, several relics were stolen from our Hong Kong Sanctum. I tracked the thieves here, but they covered their tracks too well, which suggests they may be supernatural in nature. I spent the last two months talking to everyone associated with the supernatural, even a few heroes about the theft. Then, a few nights ago, I finally got a lead. Some yokai told me that several black market deals will be happening tomorrow night, with several big names in Japans underworld appearing. So…”

“You need our help looking for the relics at one of these deals?” Rias finished.

Mizu nodded. “There’s going to be at least ten different deals, each held at a different location. And the relics could be at any of them. There’s no guarantee that I’ll find the relics if it’s just me. Which is why I’m asking for your help.”

The three Kings looked at each other, each of them very worried about what might happen if they stepped in. But the fear of what might happen if they don’t step in influenced their decision. “Very well,” Rias nodded. “As this city is under my protection, I’ll aid you in retrieving these relics. Sona, Kudelia, will you help?”

Sona nodded. “We’ll provide whatever aid we can.”

“Count me and my group in!” Kudelia said.

The next few minutes were spent planning. It was decided that the three peerages will be split into teams, each staking out a different location. When a deal was taking place, they would observe from a distance. If they see any of the relics, they’ll notify the others.

“This is… kinda scary,” Ochako admitted. She was currently sitting next to Izuku and Ibara. “Mizu offers me to teach me magic, and that this would be a good first experience… I’m mean, sure, I helped you guys save Shiozaki-chan, but I only made a few of those stray priests float in the air. I’m not sure I can do this…”

“I’m sure you can, Uraraka-san,” said Ibara. “You were really brave to help Izuku-san and the others save me.”

“Ibara-san’s right,” Izuku added. “We’ll be there for you.”

“Thanks, guys.” Ochako smiled, scooting moving closer to Izuku, “It’s comforting that we’ll be on a team together.”

“Ahem,” the two looked to Ibara, who was sending a subtle glare at Ochako. Both of them looked between themselves to where her eyes were looking. Ochako seemed to have unknowingly grabbed Izuku’s hand into hers.

Blushing, Ochako quickly pulled her hand away. “A-anyway, we should get going,” she stuttered.

“Ye-Yeah. Let’s do that,” Izuku stuttered back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to make things clear, Mizu will NOT be part of Izuku’s harem. I have someone else in mind for her.


	10. Wardens of the Night

The next night, Izuku, Ibara, Ochako, and Milia waited atop the rooftop of a warehouse, looking down upon the dark alleys below. “How long do you think we’ll have to wait?” Ochako asked.

“Hard to say… All we know is that the deal taking place here will happen after midnight,” Izuku pointed out. “That was about five minutes ago, so we need to keep an eye out.”

And waited they did. Each of them took turns watching the road while the others took quick naps, changing shifts every ten minutes. It was currently Izuku’s second turn at watch, the girls playing a game of ‘I spy’ to pass the time.

Eventually, Ibara walked up to him. “Izuku-san, your turn is over.”

“Oh, right. Thanks, Ibara-san,” getting up, Izuku walked over toward Milia and Ochako as Ibara took her turn to watch.

“Anything yet?” Milia asked.

“No, just some pigeons,” Izuku sat down. “I wonder how everyone else is doing?”

“Hey, uh, Izu-kun?” Ochako spoke up. “Is there anything going on between you and… Shiozaki-san?” She asked, hoping she wasn’t blushing as she said it. Izuku, however, did blush a little.

“W-What? M-Me and Ib-Ibara? N-No, th-there’s nothing going on between us… Why?”

It was Ochako's turn to blush now, albeit lightly. “No reason!” She exclaimed.

Unnoticed by the two, Milia gave Ochako a jealous stare.

 

* * *

 

A middle-age man leaned against a wooden crate near the center of the warehouse and took a drag from his cigarette. He watched as the front entrance opened and three figures walked in. “I was wonderin’ when you’d show,” he said in a slimy, casual voice. “I didn’t know you were bringin’ back-up.  Should I be worried?” he coyly asked.

“All Might has been hanging out in the city more and more often,” a woman wearing a white and black outfit said. “It’s dangerous for groups like us to walk out in the streets alone.”

He could tell instantly that her words were hollow.  _‘They aren’t for her protection per se,’_ he reasoned.  _‘She can take care of herself easily. She’s just being smart by having people watch her back.’_ He flicked his cigarette into a puddle of muddy water and approached his client. 

“That’s far enough,” a young man wearing a bowler hat with a fringe sticking out from the side warned. The look in his eyes was like a snakes — he was being cautious, but ready for a fight at a moment’s notice. “Don’t get too close to the boss all casual-like.”

“Down, boy,” the woman said. “Sorry about Brandon. He… just hasn’t had a good fight in a while.”

“It’s no problem,” he assured her. “I can talk from here.” His eyes drifted from the eager younger man to the armored man. His armor resembled by medieval European knight armor. It looked to be some kind of carbon fiber titanium mix with yellow glowing lines and a dark raspberry colored cape. “And who’s he?”

“Who I am doesn’t matter to you,” the knight replied, his voice having an electronic tone, likely to disguise it. “What matters is if you have the information we need.”

“Alright. Then let’s get down to business.”

 

* * *

 

“That man…” Mizu whispered to herself. She, Yuuto, Koneko, Saji, and Alexandra were peering down from a window on the roof, making sure they were out of sight.

“You know him?” Saji asked.

“If I remember right, he’s an underworld broker for support items,” Mizu said. “I believe he’s called Giran.”

“You think he’s here for those relics?” Alexandra asked.

“I doubt it. Even if he knew what the relics were, not many would buy them,” Mizu stated. “Besides, you heard what they said. This isn’t the deal we’re looking for. We should leave, but first…” Mizu pulled out her phone and began texting someone.

“What are you doing?” Yuuto asked.

“Just telling an old police friend about a big fish,” Mizu smiled as she put the phone away. “Let’s get going. Maybe Chako and her boyfriend are having better luck.”

“Do you mean Midoriya-senpai?” Koneko asked.

Mizu nodded. “Chako defiantly likes the guy.”

“And so does Shiozaki-senpai,” Koneko pointed out.

“Are you serious?!” Saji gasped. “Damnit! How the hell is that guy so lucky when all I ever get is a sore ass?!”

“Not being a pervert probably helps,” Koneko deadpanned.

 

* * *

 

Ochako suddenly sneezed.

“Are you catching a cold, Uraraka-san?” Ibara asked.

“I’m fine,” Ochako replied. “I just wish this deal would happen already.”

The last two hours and ten minutes were spent with the four teens taking turns keeping watch. “I hope they show up soon,” Ibara said. “If Inko oba-san notices that we’re gone, she’s gonna be so worried.”

“Yeah,” Izuku nodded.

“I just got a message from Kudelia-sama,” said Milia. “The deal she, Gremory-senpai, and Sitri-senpai watched over didn’t have any of the relics.”

Izuku nodded. “Counting the one Kiba-san and Koneko-chan watched, that’s two. Now we just have to wait for our’s,” Izuku said.

Ochako looked out again and saw several vehicles approaching. “Guys! I think they’re here.”

They watched in silence as several black vans and a truck approached from the ports while some dark gray commercial humvees led by a dark red humvee approached from the city. They all stopped within feet of each other, their occupants stepping out. The drivers of the vans had old, ragged-looking clothing, while most of the humvee occupants wore black suits and sunglasses.

From the lead humvee, three people strode out. The first was a young man, likely not much older than them. He was shorter than most of them but taller than Ochako. His eyes were grey and he had striking orange hair that frames his face, with a longer section that falls just past his left shoulder. He wore a black hat with a red hatband and a thin silver chain that hangs over the brim.

His outfit consists of a white button-up shirt under a dark red vest, a black choker in the style of a pet collar, a black ribbon bolo tie held together with a small silver buckle, an open black cropped jacket with the sleeves rolled up at the elbows, black slacks, a black belt hanging off his right hip and black low-arch shoes, and black gloves. He also has a long black coat with light-colored lining and lapels with a light red undercoat, wearing it around his shoulders like a cape.

The other two were young women. One was tall and slender with cherry red eyes and red hair tied into a traditional Japanese bun that is held by three long golden clips and another hair clip on the right side of her head, composed by a light pink furry hair clip and red ribbon which forms a five-petal flower, and violet eyes. Her kimono is pink overlapped by dark purple one with bell flower motifs, tied neatly with a maroon bow which has white borders, and a light pink mantle which goes darker in color from her elbow to her feet. She wore red eye shadow and light pink lipstick. She’s also carrying a red Japanese umbrella.

The other had long, raven dark hair, violet eyes, fair skin, and a figure that could rival Rias’. She wore a black sleeveless jacket that has golden trimmings, a light gray-colored undershirt, dark-colored pants, and shoes. Izuku, Ibara, and Ochako recognized her right away.

“Raynare?!”

“You know her?” Milia asked.

Izuku nodded. “Yeah. She tried to kill me because of my Sacred Gear, and she tried to steal Ibara’s. We would’ve been dead if it wasn’t for Buchou.”

Milia’s eyes narrowed. “She tried that?”

As the teens looked over the scene from above, the kimono wearing woman sighed as she pretended not to be aware of their presence. “Raynare, go take care of those spies. Chuuya, I know you’re usually not the type to pass up a good fight, but can you do this? I’m going to make sure we don’t get any other uninvited guests.”

“Sure, Ane-nee,” the man called Chuuya sighed. The older woman gave the fallen angel a nod as if to indicate what she intended. Understanding fully, Raynare casually walked behind a pillar alongside the waterfront and disappeared from sight while the kimono woman walked down an alley.

“Where’d she go?” Ochako asked.

“I don’t know, but I got a bad feeling I know why,” Izuku muttered.

“Show them,” Chuuya ordered one of the suits, who was carrying a briefcase. He opens it, showing the smugglers a large amount on Japanese yen.

“Money’s here,” one smuggler, likely the leader, said to the others.

One nodded and opened the back of a van, carting out several wooden crates. They opened one of the crates, revealing items like staffs, necklaces, and other drinks that looked they belong in a museum.

“You think those are the relics Mizu-san talked about?” Ibara asked.

“What else could they be?” Ochako said.

“We need to tell the others,” said Izuku.

“I’ll notify Kudelia-sama and the others,” Milia said, a small magic circle next to her ear.

“Yes, please do.”

The teens all froze. Slowly, they turned around, seeing Raynare, with a wicked smile, standing some feet behind them.

“R-Raynare!” Izuku and Ibara both gasped.

“When Big Sis Kouyou asked me to take care of some spies, I never expected one of them to be you, Welsh Dragon,” she formed a spear of light. “I’ve been looking forward to paying you back. And you even brought Ibara and that one girl too, and some devil friend as well. And here I thought this was gonna be a dull night!”

“Guess we don’t have any other choice,” Izuku summoned his Boosted Gear, activating Dragon Force.

“Do you have a plan, Midoriya-kun?” Ochako asked.

“Not yet, I’m afraid.”

Raynare began to laugh. “Good! Once I’ll kill you, your friends and masters will be next!”

“Like hell, we’ll let you!” Milia fired off a dark beam of magic.

Raynare caught off guard, could only rain her spear in an attempt to block the attack. The attack shattered her spear, leaving her open to Izuku landing a forward punch into Raynare’s chest. The force of the blow sent her skidding several feet back. She started to cough from the blow and little flecks of saliva came up from the force of the blow. Sucking up the hit, she glared at Izuku with an angry look.

“Why the hell are you trying to cop a feel for?!” she snapped, trying to go for head games. “Who do you think you are fondling me anyway?!”

The devils and witch all had different reactions. Izuku began stammering like an idiot trying to apologize. Ibara blushed a furious red. Milia looked almost jealous. And Ochako looked mortified.

“H-hey! Don’t accuse Midoriya-san of being a pervert! Besides, those two balls are probably fakes,” Milia retorted. _‘Oh shit!’_ Milia sweat-dropped inwardly, having now realized what she said, _‘I think I made a mistake.’_

Ibara and Ochako all began to blush bright red, while Izuku could only stare at Milia in shock.

“Oh, you’re gonna get it now kid,” Raynare hissed dangerously as two swords of light appeared in her hands, her feminine pride screaming for retribution.

 

* * *

 

Having just received Milia’s message, Mizu created a portal. “Let’s get going!” Mizu yelled. Before anyone could react, an explosion cracked the roof. 

“Oh shit!” Saji yelped.

Mizu wasn’t able to react in time, the explosion forcing her through the portal as it closed. From below, the armory man jumped up and landed on the roof, Brandon next to it. “Kids?” Brandon blinked. “And here I thought it was a pro hero. How disappointing.”

“You’re not much older than us, pal,” Alexandra shot back.

“Oh, shut it flat chest.”

Alexandra’s eye twitched. “That’s it!” She drew out a rapier.

Brandon smiled and drew a gun that had a long blade attached to the underside of the barrel. “Let’s dance!”

“Remember to keep focus, Brandon,” the knight warned, a yellow globing shield appearing on his left arm. In his left hand was something that made the devil’s skin crawl.

“That’s a sword of light!” Yuuto gaped.

 

* * *

 

Somewhere else in the city, three figures with a pair of bat-like wings flew through the cityscape, just high enough that they could easily be mistaken for birds.

In reality, they were Rias, Sona, and Kudelia, laying as fast as they could to where Izuku and the others were fighting. “I should’ve finished that fallen angel off when I had the chance,” Rias hissed.

“It’s not your fault, Rias,” Sona said. “You showed that low ranked fallen angel mercy at the request of your servants. There was always a risk involved.”

“And Mizu already went ahead to help,” Kudelia added. “We just need to make sure this Raynare doesn’t cause any more trouble for us.”

Rias nodded. “Right. Hopefully, Izu and the others are all right.”

However, as they neared the site, a phantom of some sort, looking like a gold glowing mix between a samurai and a geisha, appears before them.

“A Demon Phantom!?” Rias gasped as the phantom approached, blade ready. She was barely able to avoid the blade, a few strands of her red hair not as lucky. The phantom them went after Kudelia and Sona, eventually forcing the three devil heirs to a rooftop.

“What the hell was that?!” Kudelia demanded.

“That would’ve been me,” the devil heirs turned and saw the phantom had landed next to a woman wearing a pink kimono. “I must say, I never expected devils to appear here tonight.”

“Who are you?” Rias demanded.

“I’m Ozaki Kouyou, an Executive of the Port Mafia, and you and your servants are interfering in our business,” she said. “Golden Demon! Rid me of these devils!”

**Ozaki Kouyou, Sacred Gear: Golden Demon. A subspecies of Demon Phantom, Golden Demon is an avatar-type Gear that follows the commands of Kouyou.**

 

* * *

 

Izuku was hoping left and right, avoiding the swings of the light blades. Having already Promoted himself to Knight, Izuku had to stay on the defensive, as Raynare used her swords of light to attack viciously. Suddenly, Ibara’s vines raced down and encircled Raynare, holding one of her arms to her sides. Raynare grunted as she tried to free herself. “You think these can hold me?!”

“No,” a voice from above answered. “Just long enough for me to do this.”

Above her, Milia was floating with her devil wings, lightning sparking out from her hands. A tower of lightning shined. The shockwave forced Izuku back. Milia shielded herself as the force almost knocked her out of the air.

Raynare, chard from the attack, some of her cloths torn and burnt, glared at the teenage devils. “Damn you!” She tried to move, the Ibara’s vines prevented her from doing so.

“Raynare, just stop,” Izuku sighed. “This has gone off long enough. Just leave.”

“Don’t you _dare_ look down on me!” Raynare hissed, concentrated light glowing in her hands, “You can take that pity of yours, and shove it right up your-!”

Suddenly, ice froze over nearly every part of the roof, except for the area Izuku and the others were standing on. Raynare, ice encasing half of her body, could only shiver in shock. “What…?”

“So you’re Raynare,” stepping out from behind the fallen angel, Mizu walked to her side. “For a fallen angel, you sure aren’t that pretty.”

Raynare, despite being half-frozen, gave a terse growl.

“Mizu-san!”

“We don’t have much time, so I’ll make this quick,” Mizu stood in front of the half-frozen fallen angel. “I’m sure you know why I’m here,” showing Raynare a necklace with the Kamar-Taj symbol. “So tell me what I want to know, and-”

Before Mizu could continue, something slammed into her torso, sending her crashing into an adjacent building. “Mizu-oneechan!” Ochako cried out.

Before anyone else could go check on the sorcerer, a new voice called out. “You just have a knack for finding trouble, huh Raynare?” Chuuya now stood where Mizu was.

“Mister Chuuya!” Raynare gasped. “Why are you here, sir?”

“Well, since most of the items disappeared into portals not long before I saw that gigantic light show, I went to investigate. And what do I find?” The man identified as Chuuya looked at the group, his focus on Izuku. “This fun little scene.” He tossed his coat aside, cracking his knuckles.

“Wait, Chuuya sir! That’s-”

“Yes, I’m aware of your grudge against the Welsh Dragon,” Chuuya began to glow a faint red. “But the Port Mafia’s needs come first. You and the grunts get the remaining items and fall back.” In a swift move, Chuuya kicked the ice holding Raynare, destroying it while keeping her unharmed. “I’ll deal with them.”

Raynare nodded. Spreading her wings, she flew off toward where the deal was taking place.

“I don’t suppose you have it in your heart to just give up?” Ochako said to the Port Mafia executive.

“No, I don’t,” Chuuya responded, his eyes betraying an eager look. “I’ve been having a hard time trying to reign in Raynare’s disobeying habit, so I need to let off the steam. And I intend to finish this in a single blow.” Charging forward, Chuuya flew with incredible speed at Izuku, who instinctively lifted his Boosted Gear in an attempt to block the hit…

[DON’T LET HIM TOUCH YOU!]

Only to duck at the last second, delivering a kick into Chuuya’s gut.

“You call that a kick!?” Chuuya retaliated by grabbing Izuku’s arm and throwing him at the girls. Izuku’s body glowed red. He felt his weight increase as he crashed into the roof, going through it and falling into the warehouse below.

“IZUKU-SAN/MIDORIYA-KUN!” The girls cried.

“Izuku-san! Are you okay?!” Ibara called out.

“I’m fine… But I… Can’t move… My body… So heavy…” he grunted.

“That would be my Sacred Gear at work,” Chuuya clarified, a smile on his face. “Now then, who’s next?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this is shorter than you were expecting. I've been having trouble with this and the next chapter. I can't guarantee Ch. 11 will be ready next week either.
> 
> If any of you have suggestions, then please let me know.


	11. Uraraka Ochako, the Witch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, I’d like to say that I’ve heard about the arson attack that occurred at Kyoto Animation on the 18th last week. I am not at all familiar with any of their series, but my heart is out to the friends and family of the victims of the attack, #PrayForKyoAni
> 
> I’d like to clear things up a little. Yes, the story is primarily a crossover between My Hero Academia and High School DxD, and yes characters from other series are going to appear also, such as Bungo Stray Dogs. That is obviously not to the tastes of everyone, such as reyalex.
> 
> The reason I included characters from outside MHA and BSD is because I was inspired to do so by Star Force DxD and My Hero Playthrough, both of which did something similar.
> 
> So I decided to add the series tags for BSD, and whatever else will be crossovered. Don’t worry, MHA and DxD will still be the main plots.
> 
> Now, let’s enjoy the chapter.

Golden Demon flew towards Rias alarmingly fast, swinging the blade as it made its charge. Barely managing to avoid the slash, Rias decided to fire point-blank at the Port Mafia Executive’s avatar. Bolts of Power of Destruction swarmed around her. “Take this!” Shooting the bolts at the avatar, Rias managed to force it back.

However, its master appears behind her, blade drawn. Rias early had the time to react, forming a defensive barrier to protect herself as Kouyou brought her katana down.

“Leave my friend alone!” Sona’s scream got the executive’s attention. When she turned around, her eyes widen in shock as she was greeted by a giant serpent made entirely out of water that hit her straight on, swallowing her in its mouth.

Immediately, the serpent began shaking, a large bump formed in its stomach area, growing quickly each passing second. Small holes formed in the water, golden lights erupting from them. Like a plastic balloon that was filled with far too much air, the serpent exploded, water scattering everywhere. As the violent sudden rain subdued, a lone figure was sitting where the serpent was, covered from head to toe in water, her hair was now down and messy, an annoyed expression present on her face.

Behind her stood Golden Demon sheathing it’s blade. “Trying to drown me? Had it been anyone else it may have worked.” The sound of thunder then caught Kouyou’s attention.

In the sky, clouds began to darken, thunder roaring across the heavens as Kudelia smiled. “Storm manipulation.” Lightning, wind, and water surged through Kudelia’s hands as she sent the elements coursing down towards Kouyou. Golden Demon did its best to block the attack, but some of it still managed to reach Kouyou. She grunted in pain as Kudelia twirled around and swept her up in a vortex before slapping her palms together, launching Kouyou back the way he came, sending her tumbling along the ground. Golden Demon had wrapped itself around Kouyou, who only receiving some torn clothes and a few bloody scratches.

The older woman smirked as if she was enjoying the fight. Spreading her wings, Kudelia and the other pure-bloods took to the air, sparks of electricity appearing in Kudelia’s hands. Kouyou’s eyes widened, realizing what they’re up too. “Unholy Thunderbolt!” Kudelia shouted. A powerful bolt of black lightning fired from her hands.

Kouyou made no effort to dodge the attack, however. Instead, Golden Demon appeared before Kouyou, taking the direct hit of the blast. The lightning struck the avatar, black electricity sparking all over the rooftop of the battle due to the water. Kouyou had managed to jump onto the Demon’s back, the avatar acting as a makeshift insulator.

Once’s Kudelia’s attack ended, the Demon vanished, Kouyou falling to the ground as the devils landed. “Had enough?” Kudelia asked.

“As much as I would like to continue this little ballad, I’m afraid we don’t have the time.” Kouyou turned, the sound of the police force’s patrol cars and whistles are coming closer. It seems like they received a report on the fighting. “Be warned girls: you may be heiresses to influential devil clans, but neither that nor the heroes will save you if you cross the Port Mafia again.”

Kouyou turned and began to walk away, rain beginning to fall. Rias and the others watched the women leave with contempt. “That was harder than I expected,” Kudelia huffed.

“The Port Mafia…” Sona said. “I’ve heard about them, and it looks like they’re no different from what the rumors… No, they’re more than the rumors made them to be.”

“Indeed,” Rias nodded. “Let’s get going. Izu-kun and the others might be in trouble.”

 

* * *

 

The knight leaped into the air, swinging his sword of light downward. Yuuto disappeared from sight, appearing behind the knight. Creating a demon sword, Yuuto charged at the android, only for its shield to block his hit. “Holy Eraser!” The dark blade immediately began to weaken the knight’s shield. But the knight simply delivered a kick to Yuuto’s gut.

Yuuto gaged, dropping to the ground. “The ability to create any sword you can imagine? Interesting…” the knight noted.

“You forget about us, tin can?” Saji smiled confidently, a small black gauntlet that resembled a chameleon with a deformed face manifesting on his left hand. Pointing the gauntlet at the android, the chameleon’s mouth launched a blue line. The knight didn’t have enough time to react as the line wrapped around its leg and latched on tightly.

“And now, Absorption Line!” At Saji’s command, the line glowed.

The knight’s armor began beeping as the shield began to flicker, warning its wearer that the power was being drained. Strangely, the knight seemed calm. “Intriguing…”

“This is your chance guys, get him!”

Looking up, the knight saw Koneko falling towards him, looking ready to deliver a hard kick.

Nearby, Alexandra fought against Brandon, her rapier clashing with his gun blade. Suddenly, Brandon’s gun began dismantling itself, pieces either retracting or extending to form and link together. Soon it took the form of a full-length sword, the blades edge glowing orange. The glowing blade easily sliced through Alexandra’s rapier, having melted the metal. “Pretty hot, huh?” Brandon said to her.

**Brandon Black, Quirk: Heatwave. He can superheat anything he touches.**

“Ugh. ‘Pretty bad’, you mean.” Alexandra’s body glowed a light green, three spectral figures appearing next to her, each resembling a French musketeer. “And this is far from over. Men, take him!”

“Yes, ma’am!” The specters all said.

**Alexandra Dumas, Sacred Gear: Trios Musketeer. She can summon three avatars to fight alongside her. Their names are Athos** **,** **Porthos** **, and** **Aramis.**

The knight hacked at the line connecting Saji to his leg, cutting it and jumping out of the way just as Koneko was about to hit. Koneko’s kicked caused a large part of the rooftop to crack. “You’re far stronger than you look. I’m impressed.”

“…Thanks,” Koneko deadpanned. Saji stood behind the knight, readying his Sacred Gear again, while Yuuto stood to the side, two demonic swords in hand.

“Three against one? I suppose it’s no surprise for devils to fight dirty.”

 _‘He knows who we are?’_ Yuuto thought to himself. _‘He’s clearly not an ordinary human. Just who is he?’_

“I’m afraid our time has come to an end,” the knight turned to Brandon, who was fighting against the three specters. “Brandon, it’s time for us to leave.”

“Huh?! You can’t be serious! It’s just getting good!” Brandon complained.

“Just listen, boy.”

Sure enough, the unmistakable sound of police sirens were approaching.

“Aw, man! The police are almost here.”

The knight then turned to Koneko and Yuuto. “Be sure to keep proper care of the Red Dragon Emperor. He may become an important player soon.” Before the two could ask what he meant, the knight ran to Brandon, grabbed him and jumped off the building.

“HEY! Get back here!” Alexandra yelled, but it was too late. The two were gone.

“We should get out of here,” said Yuuto.

“We need to check on Buchou and the others,” Koneko added.

 

* * *

 

Chuuya charged at them again, aiming for the girls. But when he reached them, they vanished. “What the…?!”

All around him, multiple copies of the girls appeared. Chuuya tries to punch the nearest one, but his fist goes right through it.

“Fakes?!” Chuuya continued to attack each of the illusions, unaware that the three real girls were a good distance away.

“That should keep him busy for now,” Milia kept her focus on Chuuya, ensuring that he won’t hear or see the real them.

“Nice one, Takamaki-san,” said Ochako.

“Izuku-san, are you okay?” Ibara called through the hole in the roof.

“I’m fine,” Izuku responded. “I still can’t move, though.”

“I might be able to help.”

Ochako leaped down, using her Quirk to slow her descent. Squatting next to Izuku, she placed her hand on him.

Instantly he felt himself back to his original weight. Grunting, he stood back up. “…That actually worked?” Ochako asked, more to herself than anyone else.

“That Chuuya guy’s power must be similar to yours, only he can freely alter someone’s gravity,” Izuku noted, stretching his wings. “He increased gravity’s effect on me, then you removed gravity’s effect. So both of your powers canceled the other.”

“Are you okay, Izuku-san?” Ibara asked him as she and Milia floated down before retracting their devil wings.

“I’ll be fine. What about Chuuya?”

**BOOM!**

The roof behind them gave way, a very angry Chuuya clade in a dark red aura depending down with the remains of the roof.

“Oh. Never mind.”

 

* * *

 

“Gah, ow… What hit me?” Mizu groaned as she stood up. Whatever hit her, it had the force of a freight train. Pushing aside some debris, Mizu checked herself over. Aside from her torn clothing, what felt to be blood running down the side of her face, a slight concussion, and what was most likely a shattered arm, she was okay.

She felt the Yukinoha rubbing against her, asking if she was okay. “I’ll manage for now.” She told it. “I just hope Chako and the others are doing okay.”

 

* * *

 

Chuuya immediately went after Milia, who barely had time to register the sudden kick against her gut. The blue-haired devil was sent flying, crashing into the others with enough force to knock them against the wall. “Play time’s over, kiddies,” Chuuya floated into the air and charged at them. Ochako, acting on instinct, created a bubble around them that blocked Chuuya’s attack.

_*BAM!*BAM!*BAM!*_

The Port Mafia Executive just to punch relentlessly against the shield Ochako had made. “How long do you think this little bubble can protect you?” Chuuya mockingly asked.

“How long will it last?” Ibara asked as she tended to Milia.

“I’m not sure. This is really the first time I’m doing something like this.” The bubble then began to crack. “Okay, not long!”

Chuuya smiled when he noticed that the bubble was beginning to break. “I was expecting more from the Red Dragon Emperor and his friends. Guess you don’t live up to the hype-”

A bright ball of plasma suddenly hit Chuuya, exploding. The explosion pushed the gravity man away from the kids.

“You guys okay?”

“Mizu-oneechan!” Ochako called out as the older woman ran into the warehouse.

“You kids get out of here,” Mizu ordered. “I’ll deal with him.”

Izuku then noticed how hurt Mizu was and her limped arm. “Wait, you’re hurt! You can’t take him on by yourself like that!”

Ice covered Mizu’s damaged arm, creating a makeshift cast. “I’ll be fine,” plasma gathered in her left hand. “Plasma Strike!” A beam of plasma shot at Chuuya, which created another explosion upon reaching the Executive.

Chuuya, however, walked out of the fireball. Aside from being singed a little, he was mostly fine. “Now that’s interesting,” Chuuya smirked. “I think I heard about you. You’re the Kaika Hero, Ryūtō, right? You have a Quirk that lets you control plasma.”

“What can I say? Mess with Ryūtō, and you’ll get burned!”

**Mizushima Akari AKA Ryūtō. Quirk: Plasma Cast. She can generate and control red-orange plasma, which she can use to create anything from small balls of explosives to shields.**

“And that’s not the only thing I can do now!” She grabbed her sword, and with a swing of the blade, the entire warehouse was engulfed by a gigantic amount of ice.

The kids had managed to avoid the attack, having been lucky enough to be behind Mizu. “Holy hell!” Milia exclaimed.

Mizu stood there eyeing the ice she had created. Soon the ice began to glow red. It soon began to crack, imploding on itself. Chuuya then shot out and landed several feet in front of Mizu, the ground beneath him indenting. “An attack like that would’ve killed almost anyone else. And your arm must’ve shattered after I attacked you earlier yet you’re still going,” Chuuya smiled. “Guess the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj aren’t all talk.”

“And I’m impressed you withstood Yukinoha’s attack,” Mizu, despite herself, smiled as well. “I’ve never heard of a gravity manipulating Sacred Gear before. What’s it called?”

“‘For The Tainted Sorrow’,” Chuuya answered.

“Hm, poetic.”

“Like it? I came up with it myself,” Chuuya beamed with pride. “Anyway, why don’t you stop stalling. Talking isn’t going to get us anywhere fast.”

“I disagree…” Mizu shot red beams of magic at Chuuya. The gravity manipulator was quickly ensured by the bands, which anchored themselves to the ground.

“The hell is this?” The Port Mafia Executive growled as he tried to wrestle free. Red aura particle steamed off Chuuya’s body as he struggled. Mizu smirked, expecting little to come of it… But that smirk soon disappeared when the bands began to break.

With a roar, Chuuya quite literally broke free from the crimson bonds. Mizu jumped back several feet, shocked. “Not many can break those chains so easily.” Mizu began to sweat. “That’s not a normal Sacred Gear, is it?”

Chuuya smirked. “Yep. If I had to guess, it’s probably a Longinus.”

**Nakahara Chuuya, Sacred Gear: For The Tainted Sorrow. The fourteenth Longinus that allows Chuuya to control the gravity of anything he’s touched, including his own.**

“A Longinus?!” Izuku gasped, he and the girls watching from behind a still-standing wall.

“That can’t be right,” said Milia. “There are only thirteen Longinus gears in existence, and none of them allow you to control gravity!”

“It’s actually more likely than you’d expect,” Mizu said to them. “God wasn’t able to perfect His system, so there are plenty of bugs. The Longinus Gears can be considered part of that. Depending on what type of Sacred Gear it is, how it was created, and how it works, it’s possible for entirely new Sacred Gears to be born with the potential to evolve into Longinus Gears.” She looked at Chuuya and asked, ”Did something like that happen to you?”

“Not quite, but I’m not in the mood to discuss something so personal.”

“We gotta do something!” Izuku hissed as Mizu and Chuuya continued to fight. The only reason Mizu was ignoring the pain from her shattered as long as she had was because of adrenaline. Once that ran out she won’t be able to put up much of a fight.

“I got an idea.” Ochako focused, remembering what Mizu told her the previous night.

 

* * *

 

_“Okay, so where do we start?”_

_“Well, first we need to figure out what kind of magic suits you best,” a book with stars and moons on the cover appeared in Mizu’s hand. “Witches and wizards like you tend to use magic that’s best suited to your personality and taste. Your mother, for example, is an expert at spacial magic, and since you share plenty of similarities with her we’ll start there.”_

_“How?”_

_Mizu looked around the apartment, her eyes falling upon a paper cup near the tv. “See that cup there? I want you to imagine a ball surrounding it. Then imagine that ball taking the cup to the center of the table here.”_

_“Uh, okay?” Ochako eyed the cup in question. She focused, imagining a ball surrounding the cup. But after a minute of focusing, the cup stayed near the TV. “Ugh! I can’t do it!”_

_“I’m sure you can. But it looks like you weren’t focusing properly. Is something wrong?” Mizu asked._

_“I don’t know,” Ochako huffed. “I can imagine the bubble, but that’s it. I’m not sure why, but lately I haven’t been able to focus on anything for some reason.”_

_“Hmm… Seems like you’re distracted or otherwise bothered by something.” Mizu stated. “It’s not that uncommon of an occurrence among mages like us.”_

_“Di-distracted? By what?” Ochako stuttered._

_“Oh, I don't know,” Mizu said, feigning ignorance and then giving Ochako a cunning grin, “Maybe something to do with a green-haired boy.”_

_“I-I have no idea what you’re talking about!” Ochako exclaimed._

_“Those blushing cheeks tell a different tale.”_

_“I am not-” Ochako began to protest only for Mizu to shove a mirror in her face. Ochako had pinker cheeks then sakura blossoms. She just growled and avoided eye contact._

_“Talk to me, Chako. I can help.”_

_“W-well…” Ochako trailed off. “Fine. I… I think I might like Midoriya-kun.”_

_“You think or you know?”_

_“I don’t know,” Ochako said. She was trying her best to remain calm, but Mizu could tell she was flustered over this._

_The older woman then began to interrogate Ochako. “So, when Midoriya-kun is around, does your heart rate increase.”_

_“I… I think so.”_

_“Does your head feel fuzzy at all when he’s around?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_“Have you tried to avoid being alone with him?”_

_“I’m not sure. We never had much of a chance to hang out, and when we do Shiozaki is usually with him.”_

_“Alright, then earlier when you came here with him and Shiozaki, did you hope it would’ve been just him? That Shiozaki didn’t come with?”_

_“…Y-yes,” Ochako admitted._

_Mizu nodded. “It’s official. You have a crush on him.”_

_Ochako turned red. “O-oh… I see…” She swallowed. Ochako was now very nervous. She had a crush. Her head was starting to feel funny again. “Mizu,” she asked as her face turned as red as an apple. “Am I really… in love?”_

_Much to Ochako’s shock, she saw Mizu shake her head and affirm the motion with a calm, “No.” Ochako tilted her head in confusion. “Right now what you have is a crush, which may soon bloom into love. And love takes time for all those involved. Just because you may love him now doesn’t mean Midoriya loves you back… at least not yet.”_

_Ochako nodded. “So, what do I do? Confess?”_

_“That would be the easiest option, but that can cause problems if done too early or too late. Just take it at your own pace for now. Now then, try teleporting that cup again.”_

_“…Right after that talk?”_

_“Yep.”_

_Sighing, Ochako looked at the cup again and focused. She imagined the bubble around the cup, and this time a see-through, light pink bubble surrounded the cup. In an instant, the cup disappeared, reappearing on the table. Ochako gasped in shock before she gave a big smile. “I did it!”_

_“Good work, Chako!” Mizu said, smiling. “You’re officially a witch now.”_

 

* * *

 

 _‘Imagine the pink bubble around that guy,’_ Ochako’s hands began to glow a light pink.

A pink bubble of energy surrounded Chuuya. “What in-!”

Chuuya’s body contorted and warped into a spiral with an audible ‘whoosh’ before he disappeared completely. Ochako let out a sigh of relief. “I can’t believe that worked…”

She would’ve collapsed right there, but Izuku managed to catch her. “You okay?” He asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she huffed, laying her head against his chest, a light blush on her face. _‘I wouldn’t mind staying like this for a while.’_

The moment didn’t last, though. From the corner of his eye, Izuku saw a flash of light. Recognizing it right away, he picked up Ochako just in time to avoid a spear of light.

“Looks like you managed to actually improve,” the all too familiar voice of Raynare said from above.

“You again!?” Milia exclaimed.

“I don’t know what you did to Mister Chuuya, but I’m not letting any of you leave alive!” Raynare held out a hand, conjuring a large spear of light from above. “Die!”

Raynare threw the spear at the teens. But it didn’t hit its target. Instead, Golden Demon appeared and, using its sword, sliced the spear in half.

“That’s enough, Raynare!” Kouyou called out. “Don’t waste any more time on these pests.”

“But, Big Sis Kouyou…” Raynare pleaded.

“The police and heroes will here soon,” Kouyou continued. “There’s no longer any reason to remain here.”

Raynare growled at her human superior, “Fine…” she reluctantly complied. She then looked toward Izuku and the others. “This is far from over.” She flew off, Kouyou disappearing as well.

“We need to leave, too,” said Mizu. “It be bad if the police see us here.”

 

* * *

 

A little while later, and all three Peerages had regrouped in the ORC room. Mizu was currently being tended to by Ibara, her Twilight Healing restoring Mizu’s arm back to proper shape. “I should be done, soon, but you should still rest for a while.”

“Thank you.”

Ochako walked up to them. “How are you doing?”

“Other than still not having any feeling in my arm, I’m doing great,” Mizu replied. “How’s everyone else?”

“They’re all fine,” Rias answered, Sona and Kudelia beside her.

“Still, Raynare going such a dangerous group is rather unprecedented,” Sona said. “It may be best to inform the Satans about this right away.”

“I already made a report to the Four Satans about Raynare’s new allegiance.”

“As did I,” said Mizu. “The doc will be meeting with Azazel, the Governor-General of the Fallen Angels, about it.”

“Wait, who are the Satans?” Izuku wondered.

“The Four Great Satans are the rulers of the Underworld who were selected after the death of the original Satans during the Great War,” Mizu explained, “The current four were given the titles of the original four; Lucifer, Leviathan, Beelzebub, and Asmodeus. Rias’ older brother is the current Lucifer, while a Sona’s older sister is the current Leviathan.”

“The great war dragged on for several years and forced several other factions and races to get involved, the human race being one of them. It really caused all three factions to take major hits, and because of that it’s one of the reasons why we’re at a standstill at the moment,” Rias continued. “There were originally 72 high-class devil families in existence, but after the war the number dwindled to 33. At the moment, only half of the devil race remains and our people are quite desperate to repopulate, usually through… traditional means.” Izuku almost didn’t catch it, but he could hear the tone of Rias’ voice suddenly turn bitter.

“Just a little longer and it’ll be good for tonight,” Ibara interrupted before Izuku could question it. “It still hasn’t fully healed, so I’ll continue tomorrow.”

As the members of the three Peerage gradually left, Mom approached Izuku, Ibara, and Ochako as they were about to leave. “I heard you guys ran into Raynare again,” she said. “Are you all okay?”

“We’re all fine,” Izuku reassured.

“She… didn’t say anything, did she?” Momo tentatively asked.

“Uh, no. I don’t think so,” Ochako answered.

Momo breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good…”

“How come?” Ibara asked.

“Um, hey?” another voice interrupted before Momo could answer. It was Milia. She was standing by them with a light blush on her face and rubbing the back of her head, “I wanted to ask you: Can we hang out sometime Midoriya-san, if you want? I mean, we’re both devils so we don’t have to hide anything anymore.”

“Uh… yeah, sure,” Izuku nodded, not seeing the jealous looks from Ochako and Ibara, or from his senior.

“Huh?” Rias blinked, looking over at Milia, “Hey, Kudelia. What’s up with your Bishop?”

“Who, Milia?” Kudelia asked, a smile on her face, “She’s had a crush on Midoriya for a while now.” Seeing her friend flinch from her words made her raise her eyebrows. “Oh~? You jealous of my Bishop, Rias?”

“Of course not!” Rias stated though the light blush on her face told Kudelia different.

“Right~. So, are you planning to add Ochako to your Peerage?” Kudelia asked nonchalantly. “I mean, she’s both a witch and an apprentice to a sorcerer from Kamar-Taj, she’d be a real catch. I’m just disappointed that I won’t have the chance. But you better hurry before Sona takes her.”

“I’m not gonna let that happen,” Rias stated. “I had a feeling something was different about her compared to normal humans. Now that I know she’s a witch, she can become a very versatile Rook.”

“Plotting behind backs, are we?” Rias froze up. She glared at Kudelia, who was smiling, before turning around to so Mizu standing over them. “What’s this I hear about wanting Chako to become a Rook?”

“Uh, well…”

Mizu patted Rias on the head. “It’s okay. If Chako wants to become your servant, that’s up to her.”

Rias, though somewhat surprised, smiled and nodded.

“By the way, Chako,” Mizu spoke up. “Where did you send Chuuya too?”

Ochako blinked a couple of times, taking a moment to remember. Mizu had told her that teleportation spells like that work best when the caster is familiar with the destination. She thought back, trying to recall what came to her mind. The first place that she could think of was-

Her eyes soon grew wide, a look of horror on her face.

 

* * *

 

Ochako gaped in shock, Mizu and the Gremory devils right behind her. A good part of her apartment was gone, replaced by rubble. “Damn…” said Mizu.

“…That sucks,” Koneko deadpanned.

“What am I gonna do now?”

“Well…” Mizu slowly looked at Izuku, along with Rias.

“Why are you looking at me?”

 

* * *

 

“A big part of her apartment was destroyed. Some of her things survived, but she doesn’t have anywhere else to go.” Ochako, Izuku, and Ibara watched from their seats at the table as Mizu gave Inko her explanation. “She could head back to her parents home, but that’s at least a 4-hour train ride. Not that convenient for attending U.A. Allowing her to stay here won’t be of any hindrance, will it?”

Inko, with a sympathetic look, answered, “Of course not. The poor dear… Losing her home like that.”

“I’m sorry for being an inconvenience,” Ochako spoke up, hanging her head low.

“It isn’t, Ochako-chan,” Inko said. “You’re welcome to stay here as long as you like.”

“Yeah,” Izuku added. “I hope you like it here.” Ibara watched on quietly, grumbling something about ‘rivals’ and being ‘out of reach’.

Inko then began to ask questions about Ochako. It was quite the shock when she learned that Inko had a similar Quirk to her own.

When the topic of why she wanted to be a hero was brought up, Ochako told them about her past and parents, and even the reason why she wanted to be a hero, much to her embarrassment, but thankfully, Izuku, Ibara, and Inko looked to be supportive and understanding regarding her reasoning.

“Ochako, dear, there is nothing wrong about being a hero for profit, especially if it’s to support your family. My husband is the same way.”

“And I can honestly say that what you are well on your way to becoming a wonderful hero that your parents can be proud of, Chako. I know I am,” Mizu added.

Ochako couldn’t help but feel flustered at the praise, but the feeling of elation she was getting from their support had put a massive, slightly teary smile on her face. She managed to get off a soft word of thanks, before changing the subject so she wouldn’t get too overwhelmed.

After a long while of nothing but pleasant talk and a quick visit to Ibara’s room (which Ochako will be sharing with now) and Izuku’s room, which was full of All Might memorabilia to Ochako’s amusement and Izuku’s embarrassment, they began to unpack Ochako’s things. It went by relatively quickly, due to the limited amount of things she actually had.

The only real obstacle was the box of clothes, which Izuku had the (un)fortunate luck of opening, laying his eyes on a bra and panties before an embarrassed Ochako closed it. It took about a half-hour for Izuku to calm down after seeing it.

Once they had finished unpacking, the three had sat down in the living room while Mizu and Inko continued to chat. “Do you think you’ll like it here, Uraraka-san?” Izuku asked.

“I think I will.”

Ibara silently glared at Ochako.

“By the way, what was it that Rias wanted to talk to you about?”

“Oh… She asked if I was willing to join her peerage now.”

Both Izuku and Ibara blinked. “Really?”

Ochako nodded. “She made a really good argument about it, including how I’ll get funding for my parents.”

“Wait, does that mean you accepted her offer?”

“…I did,” Ochako answered. “But I want to wait a little bit before the whole reincarnation happens, wait until I’m conformable with the idea.”

“Why did you accept?” Izuku asked.

“…To be honest, to be closer to you, I guess,” she admitted, her face as red as a tomato, which caused Izuku’s face to turn red as well.

Ibara continued to glare at Ochako.

“Anyway, where’s your dad?” Ochako asked hoping to change the subject.

“Oh, he works overseas,” Izuku answered. “I don’t really see him that often. I think the last time he was home was for Christmas last year. He barely has enough time to actually come home due to his job, so it’s just me and Mom here before bara-san moved in. Mom’s all I needed, though. She’s amazing for raising me practically on her own and was super happy for me when I… finally got my power,” Izuku explained, looking slightly nervous and even a little melancholic towards the end.

Ibara and Ochako noticed his change in tone and couldn’t help but frown. Izuku had told them and the others a while ago about how everyone, particular Bakugo, treated him after they discovered he was Quirkless. While Izuku said he was okay, it still pained the girls to know that the boy they admired went through a lot of torment in the past.

Ochako, in particular, wanted to make the pain in his heart go away… To bring his smile back to his face where it belonged. Resolved, she grabbed his shoulders and made him turn to her, much to his surprise, and proceeded to pull him into a warm, loving embrace, causing him to turn red in embarrassment.

“Ura-Ura-Uraraka-san! Wh-What’s this f-for!?” He exclaimed as she felt his arms flailing, as if unsure of where they should go.

“…Ochako,” she said, her face just as flushed as his. “If we’re gonna be living together from now on, I want you to at least call me by my name, Izu-kun.”

Izuku audibly gulped, not expecting her to use the nickname Rias gave him.

He then suddenly felt someone grab his arm. Turning, he saw Ibara had wrapped her arms around his, looking jealous for some reason. “Uraraka-san, can you please let Izuku-san go now?”

“No,” the little witch soon to be turned devil responded, a sly smile on her face.

Izuku watched in worry as what looked like sparks flew as the two girls glared at each other.

In the kitchen, Mizu watched with an amused expression. “Well, it looks like they’ll get along just fine,” she said, an amused smile on her face.

Inko simply watched the spectacle with a look of awe before shaking her head with a small smile on her face. “Teenagers,” she sighed to herself.

 

* * *

 

“Midoriya and the others ran into Raynare?” Kyoka asked.

“Yes,” Momo was finishing telling her what happened that night, the two in their room at the Jiro residents. “She has apparently joined the Port Mafia.” Momo undid her ponytail, letting her hair down.

“Damn… Did she tell them about-”

“I asked Midoriya-san and the others. She never mentioned me or _him_ …” she hissed the last bit, her hands beginning to shake.

Seeing this, Kyoka took hold of Momo’s hands. “You do realize you can’t run from it forever, right? Rias and the others will learn about it eventually. It'll be better for you to tell them instead of someone like your cousin.”

Momo hung her head. “I know, but… What if they don’t accept me… Midoriya-san and Shiozaki-san were both tormented by fallen angels, so what if they-”

Kyoka stopped Momo by giving her quick peck on the lips. “You don’t know that,” Kyoka told her. “Besides, Rias and Midoriya are both pretty smart. They might’ve figured it out or at least know you didn’t tell them everything. It be better for you to be honest with them.”

“…Not yet,” Momo answered.  “Not now. I’m not… ready. If I try now, I don’t know what I’ll say or do. It could lead to something we’ll regret.”

Kyoka nodded. “I don’t wanna rush you, but if you’re gonna talk to them, how long do you need?”

“I don’t know. I just need time. I doubt it’ll be anytime soon.”

“Well, whatever you decided to do, I know of a way to cheer you up.”

“Hmm?” Momo didn’t have time to register when she suddenly felt Kyoka’s hands began foddering her breasts. “Ah!” Momo’s face erupted into a blush. She retaliated by passing Kyoka down into the bed.

“Kyoka! Sneak attacks aren’t fair!” She playfully said, leaning her face near Kyoka’s. “And I’m always the one to dominate you.”

“I thought I’d mix things up a little tonight,” Kyoka replied, earning a giggle from Momo.

“As fun as that sounds, it’ll have to wait.”

The two shared a kiss to start off a night of ‘fun’.

 

* * *

 

On the top floor of the Mori Corporation’s central tower, the tallest building of Yokohama was a large office. It had a beautiful view of the city due to its position. There were countless books lining the shelves on the walls, a wooden desk sat at the end. There was a checkerboard marble floor and a handcrafted red carpet.

But this wasn’t the office of some corporation. This was the home of the Boss of the infamous Port Mafia, Mori Ougai. He was sitting at the desk, wearing a white button-up, a black pinstriped suit jacket, black shoes, and black trousers. The shirt has a purple and white striped tie. Over this, he has a black trench coat and long, almost knee-length maroon scarf he leaves hanging over his shoulders untied. He’s also wearing white gloves.

Next to him on the floor was a young girl, humming as she drew on the floor. She was young, having pale skin and bright blue eyes.  She has long, blonde hair, styled with straight, blunt bangs across her forehead and long, thick ringlets that curled past her waist. She wore a large red bow on the right side of her head. She wears a red dress with short, puffy sleeves and a frilled, white hem at the bottom. Around the waist is a thin white band. Her collar is white and buttoned, fastened by a pink ribbon. Below, she wears black and grey stockings with red Mary Janes.

Before Mori were three people: Chuuya, Kouyou, and Raynare. “That concludes our report.” Kouyou had finished recapping what happened that night.

Mori nodded. “I see. Chuuya,” he addressed the gravity user. “Take what little relics we’ve managed to acquire and store them in our main vault. We’ll contact Kamar-Taj afterward and negotiate their return.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And Raynare,” the fallen angel visibly flinch. “I must congratulate you for finally obeying orders for once, however brief it was.”

“Thank you, sir,” Raynare looked up to him. “But I recommend that-”

“No, we will not eliminate the Red Dragon Emperor nor his friends,” Mori quickly countered. “Doing so would risk the wrath of the Devil King. If that were to happen, this organization may not survive.”

Raynare gritted her teeth. “…I understand.”

“Good. You may leave now.”

“Boss,” Kouyou spoke up. “May I have a word?”

“Very well.”

Raynare cast Kouyou a slight glare as she stood up, following Chuuya out of the bosses office. Once they had left, Kouyou turned to the Boss. “Why did you bring that brat into this organization? Not only is she immature, but she’s also incredibly petty. She’s bound to cost the Port Mafia more than she’ll earn it.”

“It was a request from an old friend,” Mori answered. “He asked me to look after her. He’ll eventually come retriever her, but until then she’ll have to take orders from you and Chuuya.”

Kouyou sneered. “Just who exactly is this ‘old friend’?”

 

* * *

 

In a large room of an expansive mansion, a young girl entered a room pushing a trolley filled with sweets and a tea kettle. Her hair was tied in twin ponytails with large, drill-like curls, blue ribbons keeping them in place. The front of her hair had several bangs hanging over her forehead, with a V-shaped fringe hanging over the bridge of her nose. She wore a long, pink dress with white frills and a magenta bow in the front. She wore matching pink shoes and light pink stockings. In short, she had the appearance of a teenage princess. “Riser, I’ve prepared lunch,” she said to the other occupant in the room, an older man in a sharp suit.

“Oh? Thank you, Ravel,” the man said. He was sitting on a chair by a wall, preoccupied with the picture in his hands. Ravel didn’t seem to mind as she poured tea into a teacup.

“Are the preparations for the ceremony going well?” Ravel asked him.

“Humph,” he smirked, “Like they’ll be any problems.”

In his hand, he held a photo of a 14-year-old Rias Gremory in a white dress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY DONE!!! This took a lot longer than it should have.
> 
> So that takes care of that. Not only is Ochako now officially in love with Izuku, she’s now living with him along with Ibara now. Wonder how that’ll play out? 
> 
> As for Momo and Kyoka… well, I’ll leave what they did to your imagination. 😏
> 
> For those of you wondering why Chuuya’s Ability is a Longinus Sacred Gear here, it’s because of his origin. I won’t go into the details due to spoilers.
> 
> Also, I wasn’t originally planning to have Ochako become a member of Rias’ peerage, but when MereC55 and Bens6757 commented about it I liked the idea so much that I decided to do it. And for any fans of Rossweisse, don’t worry. She’ll appear eventually.


	12. Working As a Devil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly a filler chapter. You’ve been warned.

“Midoriya-san, how is your training going along?” Milia asked. Class had ended a few minutes earlier and most of their classmates had already gone home.

“Oh, it’s going great… I’ve managed to increase my limit by a couple of minutes,” Izuku’s voice trailed off as he held his chin, eyes focused on the ground in front of him. “But there’s still a lot about my Sacred Gear I don’t know about. Buchou told me that I might be able to transfer the stored up power to someone or something else now. That has plenty of uses, but there’s still so much about the Boosted Gear I don’t know. Like who’s voice I heard when fighting Chuuya. Still, if I can transfer the power to someone like Ibara-san, then her Twilight Healing can heal wounds more easily. Maybe I should train with her today, but… no, no, I should hold off on that until after I can use the transfer without fail. One thing at a time after all. Buchou keeps insisting for me to not overwhelm myself whenever I train…”

“There he goes again…” Milia sighed in amusement as she watched Izuku mumble. It was now mid-December. About a month had passed since the fight with the Port Mafia, and only about two months were left before the U.A. Entrance Exam. She hadn’t seen him or Ibara around the school as often as she used to. They were likely training whenever they could before they did their duties as Rias’s servants. Speaking of…

“By the way, how’s Uraraka-san doing?”

“Oh, uh, she’s doing great. Buchou reincarnated her last week. She’s still getting used to her new strength, though.” Izuku chuckled, recalling how Ochako accidentally crushed a doorknob not long after reincarnating. “It takes a little while to get used to being a devil, huh?” He said, recalling how he felt after Rias reincarnated him.

“I suppose so, but I would never know. I was born a devil.”

Izuku did a double-take. “You were always a devil?!”

Milia rubbed her head, “I guess I never told you. See, my dad’s Japanese, but my mom’s a devil. She was a succubus, a sub-race of all-female devils, which technically means so am I.”

“Succubus?” When he realized what that meant, Izuku’s pupils shrank, his face suddenly becoming red.

“N-No! No! I-I’m not like that!” Milia exclaimed, blushing herself. “Though I do understand why you would think that…”

“I’s kay…” Izuku garbled out a response as he cooled down. Then something else that Milia said caught his attention. “Wait… Your mother ‘was’ a succubus?”

Milia’s head began to hang low. “…She and my dad were killed about a year ago.”

Izuku gasped, flashbacks to when he met Freed coming to his mind. The two continued to walk in silence toward the school gate. Ibara and Yuuto were already there, waiting for Izuku. “I need to get going now,” Izuku said to Milia. “I’m sorry about your parents, Takamaki-san. If there’s anything I can do to help, I-”

Milia smiled at him. “You already did more than enough, Midoriya-san,” Izuku wondered what she meant by that. “I need to get going myself. See you tomorrow.”

“Right. See you tomorrow, Takamaki-san.”

Milia watched as Izuku met up with Yuuto and Ibara. A small amount of jealousy boiled within her when she saw how close Ibara was to Izuku as they walked, but she also felt determination. _‘I won’t lose to any of them,’_ she mentally reassured herself, mostly referring to Ochako and Ibara. _‘If they’re going to U.A. with Midoriya-san, then I’ll do the same!’_

 

* * *

 

Later, the Occult Research Club, otherwise known as the Gremory group, were all gathered as usual. The school day was already over and the devils were now preparing to do their ‘devil work’.

Koneko had already left and Kiba was preparing to leave. Momo was serving Rias some tea and Ibara had just come back. “I’m kinda nervous,” Ochako admitted. “My debut as a devil. I don’t even know if I can do this.”

“I’m sure you’ll do great, Ochako-san,” Izuku reassured. “If you want I can come with you.”

Ochako blushed. “Uh, sure. I’d like that.”

They failed to notice the slight glare Ibara gave.

Ochako then asked Izuku. “What was your first job like?”

“…I’d rather not talk about it.”

Rias then taught Ochako how to use a magic circle to transport her to where the client was. Ochako, accompanied by Izuku stepped into the circle. They were enveloped by the light of the teleportation circle, disappearing a moment later.

 

* * *

 

When the light dimmed down, they opened their eyes, revealing themselves to the environment. It looked like the courtyard of an old shrine, one with a view that overlooked the city. It looked like it had been abandoned for a while, otherwise, the two of them wouldn’t have been able to enter. Yet there were boxes and crates surrounding the entrance. It looked like someone was in the middle of moving into the shrine. But who?

“Where are we?” Ochako asked.

“My place.”

The two turned, seeing a familiar face that the familiar voice belongs to.

“Mizu-oneechan!”

Ochako ran to the older woman and hugged her.

“Ow! Be careful, Chako! My arm still hurts!”

“Ah! Sorry!” Ochako let go in an instant. “But why are you still here? I thought you wet back to Katmandu?”

“Good question,” Mizu smiled. “See, not long after the Port Mafia returned the relics, it was decided to create a new Sanctum here in Japan, with me as the master.”

“So this is… all yours?” Izuku asked, looking over the shrine.

“Yep. This place was abandoned by it’s god several years ago. After some negotiations, Kamar-Taj now owns this shrine, our new Sanctum.” Mizu then looked over the tons of boxes and crates. “Course I need help setting it all up, so I figured I ask my devil apprentice to help.”

Ochako looked over the many boxes. This was going to take a few hours at least. “Any chance this is part of my training?”

“Nope. This isn’t Karate Kid.”

 

* * *

 

Sure enough, it took at least two and a half hours to get all the boxes and crates inside. Once that was done their contents were to be removed and place throughout the shrine. Overall this part wasn’t as bad. Mizu had already set up several display cases, hooks, and empty book selfs throughout the shrine. All they had to do was place the relics where they would work.

Izuku brought one of the smaller boxes into a room Mizu was going to use as a study. There he noticed that something was already there. It was a coffin made of silver. Chains of various sizes were wrapped around it, some of which were bolted to the floor. On the lid was an upside-down cross. Below the cross was an inscription written in English.

**_The Bird of Hermes is my name_ **

**_Eating my wings to make me tame_ **

“Izu-kun, you in here?” Ochako asked as she entered. “I just finished with the first room. How are things… What is that?”

“I don’t know. I just found it.” Izuku took a second glance at the coffin. He didn’t know why, but something about this coffin seriously unnerved him. “Let’s go find Mizu-san.”

 

* * *

 

Several hours after helping with the move-in, Ochako and Izuku returned to the clubroom. “We’re back!” Ochako called out. Though the only one there was Rias, sitting at her desk doing paperwork. Everyone else must still be out on jobs.

“Welcome back,” Rias replied. “How was your first job?”

“It went pretty great!” Ochako beamed. “It was great to see Mizu-oneechan again. She even gave me this.” Ochako showed her master a wooden staff. It was the same height as Ochako and had a red gem surrounded by the wood at the tip.

“A witches staff? That is certainly a rare artifact. There aren’t many of those left in the world.”

“She said that it’s both my payment and a gift. Apparently, it’s a Kamar-Taj tradition that the person who recruits a new member is responsible for their well being, so they often hand down a belonging to symbolize that. That was how she got the Yukinoha. And why didn’t you tell me she was the one who sent that request?”

“She wanted it to be a surprise,” Rias answered. “No complaints, either. I say you’ll do fine as a devil, Ochako-chan.”

Ochako blushed lightly at Rias’ compliment. “It’s no big deal? But I gotta ask: Are all devil jobs that easy?”

“They usually are,” Rias smirked. “Unless you’re Izu-kun. The entire time he’s been with us he’s only completed a handful of contracts.”

“Buchou!”

“Really? …Wait, really?!” Ochako looked at Izuku. “How come?”

Izuku laughed nervously. “Well, it’s not like the jobs I get are hard… it’s just that most of my clients are… kinda weird. With impossible requests. Like Morisawa-san. He’s one of Koneko-chan’s clients, but he sometimes requests me to talk about manga and the like. Then there’s Mil-tan, who wants to become a magical girl-”

“That doesn’t sound so bad.”

“He’s also a male bodybuilder who likes to cosplay as a magical girl.”

“…I take it back.”

“Then how about we come along?” Rias suggested. “I just received a request from a new client. It be a good way to end the day, don’t you think?”

 

* * *

 

From the looks of it, it was a room in an apartment. When Izuku looked around the room, he noticed the abundance of objects related to Sengoku. There was a sword in a sheath mounted on the wall and many posters of Japanese castles. There was also a scroll that said “Fuurin-Kazan”. There was even a helm of the “bushou” from the Sengoku Era on the shelf. The room was dark, but there were lights on the lamps.

“Wow… this is really cool.” Izuku muttered.

“Wah!”

Ochako let out a sudden voice and almost fell back. She was apparently spooked by the armor sitting right in front of them. It looked ominous because of how dark it was in the room. Looking around, there didn’t seem to anyone else in the room besides them. That is… until the armor moved.

“Uwaah!”

“Um….ummmm… Ar…are you people devils…?”

The armor was talking. No, rather, there was a person speaking from inside of it. And from the sound of the voice, it was a woman.

“Yes, we are.” Rias calmly answered.

“I’m really shocked… Devils do exist… My name is Susan. Just like you can see, my hobby is to collect things related to the Sengoku Era… I’m sorry for dressing up like this… It’s dangerous at night, so I protect myself like this by wearing this armor…”

 _‘I’m not sure you have much to worry about dressed like that.’_ Izuku mentally said.

Rias stepped in front of the group, taking the foremost position. She started with a nod. “My name is Rias Gremory. This here is Midoriya Izuku, the Devil you summoned. Me and Ochako are just here to see how well he does.”

“I see… I’m glad that the ones who came out were kind looking devil-san. If it was a scary devil-san, I would have drawn out this katana, Kijin-marukuni-shige…”

Susan said that while holding a Japanese sword in a sheath in her hand. Due to the blatant ridiculousness of the situation, Izuku’s and Ochako’s faces somehow ended up getting stuck with deadpan expressions.

“…Are your clients normally like this, Izu-kun?” Ochako whispered.

“…Pretty much.” Izuku whispered back. Clearing his thought, he stepped forward. “So, Susan-san, what was the reason you summoned me? You called us because you wanted us to fulfill your wish right?”

When Izuku asked, the armored foreign woman began to cry.

“…Sob…Sob… Please come with me to the University I am attending as an exchange student… the University at night is really scary…”

Upon hearing that request, Izuku and Ochako sweat-dropped. “Eh?”

“You’re joking, right?” Ochako asked.

“B-But, but…! I left my notebook there… the university at night is too scary, I can’t go alone… Uuu…”

Izuku sighed, having gotten used to these odd requests. “Where is the university?”

About a half-hour later, the three devils and armored woman returned to her apartment, notebook in hand. It was… rather odd. Susan was a total scaredy-cat, swinging her katana around at the slightest sign of something scary. Though, Izuku silently admitted that the university _did_ look creepy at night.

Izuku had already received his payment. It wasn’t a big wish so he didn’t mind doing it for free, but she insisted she would pay a price. The payment he received was a small scale Japanese castle. For some reason, Rias took a deep interest in it and decided that they would keep it in the clubroom.

Rias had started to cast the magic equation connected to the magic circle in the clubroom, made for returning to the clubroom after confirming the job is completed.

“Okay. We will be going back now.”

“Um… excuse me…” Susan walked up to Izuku shyly. “…It might be a bit rude… If it isn’t rude, there is one more wish I want to be fulfilled…”

“Uh…” Izuku looked to his master. “Is this okay?”

Rias nodded. “I don’t see why not.”

“To tell you the truth… I’m thinking of going forward to someone… who goes to the same University as me… and tell him about my feelings.”

“Feelings?” Ochako immediately realized what she meant. “You’re planning to confess to someone?!”

Susan started shaking like a maiden when Ochako said that. “Umm… umm, there is a man that I like… I’m slow at these things, but I want to tell him my feelings…”

Rias gained a smile after hearing that and nodded. “It’s a wonderful wish. Okay. I will listen to your wish.”

“You will? I’m glad! Devil-san are good people!” Susan began to do a step dance after hearing Rias’s answer.

“So what do you want us to do?” Izuku asked. “I’m not that great at these sort of things, so I’m not sure I’ll be of much help.”

“If it’s possible I want to go out with him by telling my feelings… But it’s my first time doing something like this… I’m not sure where to start.” Susan admitted. In other words, she wants to win a man’s heart by natural means, but since she doesn’t know much about it, she’s asking for assistance from the devils.

“It would be the quickest if you confess your feelings directly.”

Susan shook her head violently at Rias’s suggestion. “It’s impossible for me! I’m too embarrassed!” Being the scaredy cat she is, it did seem implausible for someone like Susan to confess so directly. Especially if she was gonna end up doing it inside that armor.

“Then… how about you write him a letter?” Ochako suggested.

Rias nodded at Ochako’s suggestion. “Yes, I think a love letter is also good. I think it’s wonderful to show your feelings in a letter as well.”

“I understand! I will write it!”

Susan went into a corner of the room and started to search for something. She then took out a calligraphy set. She got a blank page for the calligraphy and put it down. She then dipped the brush in the ink, preparing to write something on the paper. But then she stopped.

“…”

And her body started shaking.

“…Uuu, I don't know what to write…” She sounded like she wanted to start crying again.

Gently, Rias placed a hand on Susan’s armored shoulder. “Just write what you feel.”

“…W-What I feel?”

As Rias and Susan discussed on what to write, Ochako began to think. _‘Maybe I should take my own advice,’_ she looked to Izuku, who was once again admiring Susan’s Sengoku Era collection.

“Something on your mind?”

Ochako squeaked in surprise at Rias’s voice, which drew Izuku’s attention. “No! Nothing! Everything’s fine!”

“If you say so,” Rias chuckled as she sat down next to them.

“How’s the letter coming along?” Izuku asked.

“It honestly sounds like an official address,” Ochako noted, overhearing Susan as she read aloud what she wrote.

“It’s alright,” Rias said. “It’s the feeling that matter, not the form. Not the form…”

For a moment, Izuku saw a somber look in Rias’s face when she said that. She looked almost… sad. “Buchou…?”

“I’m done!”

Looking up, the devils saw that Susan was done. And she had apparently grabbed a bow and arrow, folded the letter to the arrow and was beginning to fire.

_‘THAT’S HOW SHE’S SENDING THE LETTER?!?!’_

 

* * *

 

After a few days, Izuku, Ochako, and Rias had reunited with Susan in a random park. And Susan had… gone all out. In front of them was a base, various flags with a certain symbol on it everywhere. And at the center of it, the armored Musha sat on a chair.

With the help of Rias a few days ago, she finished writing her love-letter safely and safely delivered it to the person she likes. Well, as safely an arrow can take it without injuring anyone. What mattered was that she successfully delivered her letter. And now the man she was crushing on will be coming to the park today to give Susan a reply to her confession.

Izuku, Rias, and Ochako stood on the sidelines while Susan, on the other hand, was shaking a bit in her armor. She seemed nervous, but it honestly looked creepy. A bizarre sight for any bystanders witness to it.

“Looks like he’s here.”

When the group looked in the same direction as Rias, there was a figure in the distance, gradually getting closer… Wearing western armor. A knight’s armor. He held a cone-shaped lance in his right hand and a shield on the left. His head is covered with a helm that also covers his whole face so his face cannot be seen.

Just like with Susan, he seemed to be another culturally fanatical person.

“Aaah, it’s amazing. It's a collaboration of a Musha and a Knight.”

Rias said it with some sort of wonderment in her eyes. If one was to look carefully, an arrow could be seen piercing the helm of the knight.

“…I hope he wasn’t wearing that helmet when Susan-san set her letter…” Izuku muttered nervously.

Then, finally, the knight drew closer to Susan. He came into Susan's base while making sounds of metal colliding. No matter how you look at it, it looks like a battle was about to start.

The Knight stood in front of Susan. Susan also stood from her place. There was an abnormal atmosphere around them. The knight then pierces the ground with his lance violently and brings something out. It’s a letter.

“…This letter. I have read it…”

“Yes…”

Susan’s body was shaking nervously.

“…It was a wonderful arrow-letter. For me to let my guard down and get shot… It was a good arrow-letter…”

“I… I was just thinking about shooting the bow… Horii-kun.”

“If it’s me, I would be glad to go out with you…”

Luckily for Susan, she ended up receiving the answer she was hoping for.

“Ho…Horii-kun…Sob…I’m glad…sob…”

Susan had a tearful voice. It was difficult to tell because she was wearing a helm, but it certainly sounded like she was crying.

“Susan…”

The western knight, Horii, hugs Susan gently. They hugged each other while wearing armor so the sound of metal colliding was present. It was an especially bizarre scene, as innocent as it really was.

“Let’s talk about The Book of Five Rings you wrote about in this letter.”

“Yes. I wanted to talk about Miyamato Musashi’s Niten Ichi-ryuu with you Horii-kun…”

The Musha and the Knight then took each other's hand and walked away.

“Thank you very much!”

Susan waves her hand at the young devils. The three responded with smiles and applause. In the end, it was considered a “happy ending of sorts”.

 

* * *

 

“Is that how your jobs normally end, Izuku-san?” Ibara asked. Not long after Ochako, Rias, and Izuku returned to the clubroom Izuku received a text. A picture from Susan of her and Horii. Wearing their armor at a restaurant. This was bound to be on the news soon.

“To be honest, it was a little different in the end,” Izuku admitted. As the three walked home, talking about how their jobs went, a thought occurred to Izuku. When she saw the picture of Susan and Horii, he noticed that she looked sad, almost longing. “By the way, did Buchou look… sad to you?”

“Sad?”

“What do you mean?”

Ibara and Ochako asked.

“I’m not sure. During the job she seemed… off.” As Izuku thought about it, a strange feeling gripped him. He didn’t know why, but he didn’t like seeing Rias so sad.


	13. Exams Begin

‘Wedding bells? Why are there wedding bells?’

_Ever since he met Rias, Izuku has gotten pretty used to the strange and unusual. He had seen things that would make lesser people turn white and come out unscathed, which he could say wasn’t an easy accomplishment. But for some reason he found himself standing on the steps of a church with bells chiming in the air and a large, noisy crowd standing before him._

_And why was he in a white tuxedo?_

_“Izuku!” He looked through the crowd and found his mother dressed in a red gown, his father wearing light blue dress clothes standing behind her. “We're so proud of you! Please be sure to make us lots of grandkids!” Inko beamed proudly._

_“Grandkids?" Izuku blinked dumbly._

_“DEKU, YOU CHEAP BASTARD!” Izuku nearly jumped at the all too familiar yelling. Looking through the crowd, he saw Bakugo with an absolutely livid look on his face being restrained by his two friends. “HOW THE HELL DID YOU MANAGED TO GET MARRIED BEFORE ME!?”_

_“M-m-married?!” Izuku paled. “I’m getting married!?” How was he getting married now? He was only fifteen! Sure the age of consent is thirteen but that was something else altogether! And who was he even getting married to?!_

_That question was answered when he felt someone wrapping their arm around his. He looked up at a very impressive chest and the blood rushed back to his face with a vengeance as he jerked his head up. There at his side was Rias Gremory, dressed in a pure white wedding dress. The skirt was just short enough to show off her shapely legs covered in white pantyhose and matching heels. A bouquet was holding in her gloved hands, a veil was lifted over her head, and her beauty was enhanced with make-up._

_“There’s no need to look so restless, Izu,” she smiled lovingly at him, “Just bask in the moment.”_

‘No way! You gotta be kidding me!’ _Izuku screamed inwardly,_ ‘My bride is Buchou?!’

_Both Izuku and Rias walked down from the steps of the church and past the crowd, side by side. All in the while, many cheers and cries sounded out from the crowd. There were a lot of voices crying out, but he could make out what they were saying. He could hear girls cry out “Rias-sama, you’re so beautiful!”, “You’re gorgeous!”, and “You’re too beautiful! Why him?!” Izuku tried to play it cool but he was sweating, very uncomfortable with being so close to a beautiful girl, a beautiful girl he was married to apparently._

_“We’ve arrived,” Izuku was brought out of his thoughts at the sound of Rias’ voice. To his surprise and embarrassment, he found that they were standing before a huge love hotel. He completely forgot that one of the main things couples did during a honeymoon was having sex with one another all night long._

_“Shall we go then?” Rias asked, smiling at him._

_“Uh… yeah,” Izuku nodded slowly, his face still bright red._

_The couple checked themselves inside and went up to one of the rooms. It was a typical design. The colors were meant to stimulate passion. Red and pink were pretty common. The rug was soft just in case the guests wanted to make love on the floor. Izuku sat nervously on the bed while Rias was in the bathroom preparing herself, his thumbs twitching together like crazy. The bed was round and there was a set of controls set on a control panel that was built into the nightstand._

_He looked at a nearby round table and saw some bottles of wine, lit scented candles and massage oils. He swallowed heavily, his skittish nature rising. As far as he could remember, he had never been with a girl, at all. There was that one time during elementary school that he played with Rinsan, but this was completely different. Sure he found himself attracted to Rias, much like a lot of heterosexual males, but he could never believe that she would take an interest in him before. But the times had changed and he was about to start a new life with her._

_And on the first night, he was about to make babies with her!_

_“Oh, Izuku~.”_

_Izuku quickly turned his head at the sound of Rias’ voice. She stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her shapely body. The towel didn’t stay for very long as she allowed it to drop to the floor and pool around her feet. The elegant young lady was in a very smoking lingerie, white floral lace bustier with a lace-up front, boning, garter straps, underwire cups, adjustable shoulder straps, matching fingerless gloves and g-string with matching sheer stockings. It was very welcoming, like uncharted territory._

_“Uh… you look… wow…” was all Izuku was able to say._

_Rias giggled as she sauntered over to him. She pushed him down on the bed and climbed on top, straddling his waist. “S…sorry, I’m n-not really used to this yet,” Izuku stuttered, his voice beginning to crack._

_“There’s no need to apologize, my dear Izuku,” Rias smiled, her eyes half-lidded as she cupped both her hands to his face. Izuku could feel his heart throbbing. He felt that it was throbbing so loud that it was practically thundering in his eardrums. “It’s alright, I’ll lead.”_

_Rias leaned down and puckered her lips, wanting to seal the moment with a kiss. Izuku didn't know what else to do, but breathe deeply and close his eyes. His arms reacting on their own and wrapped around her waist, bringing her in closer, the lips just inches-_

**_[If I didn’t know better, I say you like getting aroused by assertive women, huh brat?]_ **

_Izuku’s eyes shot open as he quickly sat up. Rias had suddenly vanished and with her the bedroom. Instead, he found himself sitting in the middle of a black void. “What the- What’s going on?! Is this still a dream?”_

**_[This ain’t no dream, brat. Not anymore, at least.]_ ** _The voice was right behind him._ **_[There are a few things we need to discuss.]_ **

_Izuku turned around, and paled upon seeing, surrounded by torrents of flames, a gigantic, red “D-d-d-dr-dragon?!”_

**_[Don’t act like this is the first time we’ve met. You’ve heard my voice before.]_ ** _The red dragon spoke to him._

_It then hit Izuku. He heard his voice before, at Bespi Tower, and again during the fight against Chuuya. “You’re that voice I’ve been hearing!”_

**_[That’s right. I’m glad you finally reached a level where you’ve noticed. I’ve been trying to talk to you for years now. And at last, I’ve managed to appear before you.]_ **

_“Wh-what do you want?!”_

**_[I merely wanted to introduce myself… To my new comrade who will be fighting alongside me against the White One.]_ **

_“Fighting alongside you!? White One!? What does that mean?!”_

**_[You’ll understand soon enough. Till we meet again.]_ **

_“Hey, wait!” Izuku reached out, only to see his left arm had the Boosted Gear…_

 

* * *

 

…And he opened his eyes to find himself lying in his bed. He blinked rapidly. He sat up, groggy, his head in a total daze. “Okay… that was weird.”

He looked at his left hand, which held the Boosted Gear. _‘It was a dream, right?’_

Izuku then noticed that it was almost 5:30 in the morning. It was almost time for his morning jog. But that wasn’t why he needed to get up early today. “Oh, right! Today’s the entrance exam!” With that Izuku put on his tracksuit and jogged.

When he got back to the apartment, he found that Ochako had already made breakfast. “Good morning Izu-kun,” she greeted.

“Good morning,” Izuku said as he took off his shoes. “Is Ibara-san still asleep?”

“She went out for a jog. You must’ve just missed her,” Ochako salted the eggs she was cooking. Once she was done Ibara returned from her jog.

As the three ate breakfast, discussing what they think the exam will be like, Ibara was staring at Izuku. Eventually, the other two noticed.

“Is something wrong?” Izuku asked.

“Huh?” Ibara realized and fumbled with her fork. “I’m fine, it’s just… Izuku-san?”

“Yeah?”

“…Did you always had horns?”

“Huh?”

Ochako began to stare at Izuku, too. “Oh, yeah. I never noticed, but there are two stubby horns on your head!”

“W-what?! Really?!” Izuku began to rube his hands through his hair, looking for the horns the girls saw. Sure enough, there were two, stubby little horns on his head. “What the… How long did I have these?!”

“Is it because of you being a devil?” Ochako guessed.

“I don’t think so. None of the others have horns as far as I can tell,” Izuku said. “Is it because of my Sacred Gear? I have been using Dragon Force a lot lately, so it is possible that the energy is starting to affect me physically. Still, why horns?” As Izuku continued to mumble, the girls could only sigh.

“And he’s gone,” Ochako muttered.

“Do you think Buchou might know why he’s growing horns?” Ibara asked.

“Maybe. But for now, we should just focus on the entrance exam.”

 

* * *

 

This was it, the day of the U.A. Entrance Exams. Izuku, Ibara, and Ochako were standing outside the building, wearing their training cloths for the practical exam. While they have been to the campus almost every day for the last few months, this felt entirely different. Today would decide if they would truly be going to U.A.

“This is it, it’s do or die,” Izuku said, staring at the large U.A. entrance that just seemed so much bigger and more intimidating than it was.

Ibara swallowed a lump in her throat. Izuku was right. Today, they would either succeed or fail. “This is really nerve-racking,” said Ochako.

“Hey, guys! Sorry for the wait!” The three looked behind them to see Kyoka coming up to them. “You ready for this?”

“I’d say I’m not worried, but that would be lying,” Ibara said.

“At least we’re prepared,” said Izuku. “Compared to Raynare and Chuuya, this should be easy.” The three girls all nodded. Confident that they’ll pass, the four proceeded to head for the entrance, until…

“Stupid Deku.”

Izuku immediately stopped. Deku. And the voice… _‘Oh no.’_

The four looked backed to see a familiar boy with ash-blond hair and red eyes walking forward with a frown on his face. “Get outta my way before I kill you.” He threatened, making Izuku flinch and the girls to frown, especially Ibara.

_‘Bakugo_ … _’_ Ibara mentally hissed. She had never met him in person and only saw him a couple of times, but she had heard plenty about Bakugo from both Izuku and Inko, and from other students at their middle school. She didn’t care if he was the top of his class, the fact remained he was a bully, plain and simple. One who belittled Izuku all his life.

She ignored Izuku quickly moving out of Bakugo’s way and Izuku frantically saying things like ‘Good luck!’

Deciding to take some action, Ibara had one of her vines slither out… and tripped him. Izuku watched in horror as Ibara made Bakugo fall flat on his face with Kyoka and Ochako snickering. Bakugo quickly got up and gave the group a death glare. “WHO THE HELL DID THAT!” He screamed with his usual temper.

Ibara simply smiled innocently.

“It wasn’t us,” Kyoka said. “But if I had to guess you must’ve tripped over your own ego.”

“WHAT’D YOU SAY EARLOBE!?” He shouted with smoke coming off his hands, making Izuku pale while Ochako continued to hold back her laughter.

“I think you heard me,” Kyoka said as she narrowed her eyes at him and talked in a serious tone. “Now, if you want to avoid making a scene and possibly getting kicked out for starting a fight, I think you better move along.”

Bakugo was completely livid with this girl. Who did she was talking to _him_ like that? Damn extras should now their place. But ultimately, she was right. Starting a fight with her would most likely make him either late, or even kicked out of the facility. Glaring right at her, he turned around and walked away. “Fuck you.” Was the last thing he said to them as he walked toward the building.

Once he was out of earshot, Ochako let loose her laughter. “That was great, Ibara-chan!”

Ibara smiled proudly.

“Yeah, nice one Ibara,” Kyoka said. “That guy is a bigger jackass than you described, Midoriya.”

“K-K-Kacchan’s usually l-like that,” Izuku said trembling a bit after what happened.

“Why do still call him Kacchan?” Ibara questioned.

“I…” Izuku stopped. Why _did_ he still call him Kacchan? Is it because he still admires him? Or is it because he simply wants his childhood friend back? “I’m not sure.”

“…Well, it doesn’t matter now,” Ochako said, placing a hand on Izuku’s shoulder. “We need to head inside for the written exam.”

Izuku nodded. “Then let’s do our best.”

“Yeah!” The four of them cheered. And with that, they headed inside.

 

* * *

 

“So, how did you do on the test?” Izuku asked as he and Ibara, as well as a crowd of other people, walked into a lecture hall.

Before the written test the students were all given a card which gave them a number and pretty much told them where to sit based on things like what school they went to.

“I think I did pretty well. Those tips you gave me really help with the math questions,” Ibara stated. “How did you do?”

“Great I think,” Izuku said, remembering how the written exam was rather easy for him.

The two managed to find where they were seated… only for Izuku to panic a bit when he saw they were sitting next to Bakugo. Thankfully the ash-blond didn’t seem to pay them any mind and simply scoffed. Izuku sighed in relief as he and Ibara sat down, Ibara sitting between Izuku and Bakugo.

“How do you think Ochako-san and Kyoka-san did on the test?” Ibara asked.

“I’m sure they passed, now we just need to worry about the practical,” Izuku said, confident that their friends passed the first part of the entrance exams.

Suddenly the two’s attention, as well as everyone else’s, was drawn forward as the lights to the center of the stage in the room lit up as well as a large monitor with U.A.’s logo on it.

“ _What’s up U.A. candidates?_ ” A loud voice said with the lights revealing who it was. Standing on the center of the stage was a tall skinny man with long spiky blond hair and a small mustache. He wore sunglasses and a pair of headphones with the word ‘HAGE’ on the headband. He also had a black jacket that was studded on the collar, which was upturned and had shoulder pads and a red studded belt with black pants, boots, and fingerless gloves. He also seemed to have a directional speaker around his neck.

“ _Welcome to the show today! Everybody say, ‘HEY!’_ ” he said enthusiastically while waving his arms around before snapping his fingers and pointed towards the audience.

…Only to receive silence.

“ _Tch. And here I thought Shouta was a sourpuss!_ ” The announcer said.

“Oh my…! I thought he looked familiar. It’s the voice hero President Mic! I listen to his radio show every day!” Izuku beamed.

“Shut the hell up,” Bakugo growled, making Izuku flinch and Ibara to glare at the ash-blond.

“ _Now, let me explain how this wicked practical is gonna do down. Like the application said, today you rockin’ boys and girls will be conducting ten-minute mock battles in suburban settings! Better tighten up those belts of yours because once I drop the mic here you'll be sent a specified battle center, sound good?_ ”

Once again, silence, but only because everyone was looking at their application card. “I see,” Bakugo said as he quickly realized something about the cards. “They’re splitting us up so we can’t work with friends.” He deduced.

Izuku got over his flinching of Bakugo and looked at Ibara’s card, and realized the ash-blond was right. “Yeah, you’re right. Mine and Ibara-san’s examinee numbers are in order but were in different battle centers.” Izuku stated. His card stated that he was in center B, while Ibara’s stated that she was in E.

“Damn,” Bakugo muttered. “I was looking forward to crushing you.”

“ _Okay, everyone!”_ President Mic said getting everyone’s attention. _“Let’s check out your targets. There are three types of faux villains in every battle center. The points you earn depend on their level of difficulty so I hope you keep track. Your goal here listeners is to use your Quirk to smash up as many faux baddies as possible and get the highest score you can! Just make sure you keep things heroic ladies and gents! Any unheroic behavior is strictly prohibited!_ ”

“Excuse me, sir, but I have a question!” Everyone turned to the question as a tall boy with glasses and blue hair shot straight up from his chair and raised his hand high.

“ _Hit me!_ ” President Mic said as a spotlight came down on the boy.

“On the print out you’ve listed four types of villains. Not three,” sure enough, he was right. Pointing to his own booklet showed there were four villains listed from A to D. “If this is a mistake on U.A.’s part it is shameful for the most prestigious school in Japan to make such a mistake! And you!” Suddenly he turned around and pointed at Izuku, making him flinch. “You’ve both been muttering the whole time. If you two are just here on some pleasure trip, then you should leave. You’re distracting the rest of us.”

“Sorry,” Izuku said quietly as he lowered his head.

The rest of the examinees laughed a bit at Izuku being called out, until…

“Was that necessary?”

“Excuse me?” The boy replied, having not expected anyone to question what he had to say.

Everyone turned their attention to who questioned him. He had dual-toned, messy hair, being bleach blonde at the front and black at the back end. His eyes are dark red and have cat slit pupils. His uniform was worn rather sloppily, with the red tie worn loosely and the black blazer unzipped, showing a which polo shirt underneath. He also has small belts with golden buckles each wrapped around the sleeves of the blazer and two more normal-sized belts around his waist, the top one is done up but not buckled while the bottom one hangs loosely.

“Did you really need to call him out like that?” He repeated herself. “He’s just a little excited about seeing Present Mic and probably nervous about taking the exam. Hell, we all are. So did you really need to call him out over that?”

“But he’s distracting!” The boy countered. “Don’t you find his muttering inappropriate in such a prestigious institute?”

“Not really,” he said. “And I’m pretty sure no one else was bothered by it. Here’s something that’s distracting, though: A guy shooting up from his chair and demanding his questions be answered.”

“But… I-I just needed clarification on…!” The guy seemed flummoxed, trying to formulate a response.

President Mic snickered at the bickering between the students before waving his hands around to calm things down. “ _Alright, alright calm down numbers 7111 and 2012. To answer your question 7111, the fourth villain is more of an obstacle getting in your way. That guy is worth zero points and there’s one in every battle center. It’s not that it can’t be beaten, there’s just no point. I recommend my listeners try to avoid it._ “

“Thank you, sir,” The blue-haired boy thanked as he did a perfect 90° bow before sitting back down.

Izuku turned his head to look at the boy who stood up for him. He seemed to notice this and look back at him as Izuku mouthed a ‘Thank you’ to him. He understood and gave Izuku a small smile and a nod.

“ _Now, before I send you guy’s off, allow me to share our school motto with all of you… As General Napoleon Bonaparte once laid down. A true hero is one who overcomes life’s misfortunes. So Go Beyond…_ ** _PLUS ULTRA!_** _Now good luck suffering!_ ”

“…That… was encouraging,” Ibara said nervously as she and Izuku sat up.

“It’s probably just his way of hyping up everybody.” Izuku guessed with a nervous chuckle.

“Well… I better get to my battle center, good luck.” Ibara said as held her hand out.

“You too,” Izuku said as he shook Ibara’s hand.

 

* * *

 

One bus ride later, and Izuku stepped out of the bus along with a small group of people. They all stood near the entrance to the faux city. Izuku’s whole body was shaking, a wobbly smile on his face. Everything led up to this. After years of being told he could never be a hero, that he had no chance of getting into getting in his dream school. It all would end here. He just couldn’t fail. He would prove everyone wrong. He would be a hero. A hero that would save everyone with a smile, just like All Might.

_‘This is it. It’s do or die now.’_

“Hey Izu-kun! I didn’t know you’d be here!”

Izuku was snapped out of his thoughts by Ochako. The brunette had just stepped out of the bus. “Oh, Ochako-san!”

“Looks like we got assigned to the same battle center!” She smiled. “Wanna team up, then?”

“S-sure!”

Once Izuku looked back at the entrance to the faux city, Ochako grew a mischievous smile. _‘I’m gonna get ahead of you, Ibara~.’_

 

* * *

 

Ibara suddenly had a strange feeling. As if someone was trying to take Izuku away from her. _‘Why am I suddenly so upset?’_

“Are you doing okay?” Ibara turned around and saw a girl her age wearing a basic teal gi. She had orange hair in a side ponytail and had teal eyes.

“Yes, I’m fine. Just… trying to take it all in is all,” Ibara was telling the truth. This was rather nerve-racking, to say the least.

“I don’t blame you. This is a bit much.” The ponytail girl glanced at the faux city. “I’m actually worried that this is a little bias. The people who have Quirks not suited against robots won’t have an easy time.”

 

* * *

 

Milia took deep breaths as she stood near the entrance to the faux city, trying to calm her nerves. Even after the little training, she did during the past few months, she was still nervous about this. She wonders if Izuku and the others were nervous about the exam as well. Truth be told, she didn’t originally intend to become a hero. After her parent’s deaths, she just didn’t know what to do with her life. She’d probably be on the street somewhere had Kudelia not taken her in as per her mother’s wishes.

Even then, she never really spoke much with Kudelia or anyone else in the Dantalion peerage for that matter. Still reeling from the deaths of her parents, she barely spoke to anyone. They had to remind her to eat at times. They even had to reminder to go to school. Aldera wasn’t all that bad, aside from the somewhat apathetic teachers, but overall it had been nice somewhat. The only thing she really hated about the school was how no one seemed to mind Bakugo’s behavior.

She had the unfortunate ‘honor’ of being in the same class as the explosive teen. And she was far from impressed. His attitude certainly didn’t help. So she decided to avoid him as much as possible. An easy thing to do, since he seemed to love tormenting the boy who sat in front of her: Izuku. She didn’t really know what to think about him. Honestly, she found his muttering off-putting and annoying.

It wasn’t until the beginning of the first semester of her third year that she got to know more about him. She was by herself near the school gate one day, walking home when she saw a family walk by. A mother and father carrying their young daughter, laughing and smiling. When she saw that, Milia just… broke down. Collapsing to her knees, Milia began to cry. As she never really got to know any of the students, they didn’t bother to ask what was wrong. All except one. She wasn’t sure how long she was crying for when she felt someone place a hand on her shoulder. It was Izuku, concern on his face.

It honestly felt like a dream when he asked if she was okay. Even when she gave a shaky nod, he did anything he could to help, even taking her to a nearby restaurant. Milia had heard that Izuku wasn’t that great when it came to girls, which became apparent once Milia had calm down, but Izuku didn’t seem at all bothered by her the entire time. He was so focused on helping her that was a completely different person from what she knew about him.

Milia wasn’t entirely sure when, but she figured she began to fall for Izuku either during or after he helped her through her breakdown. Gradually, she began talking to Izuku more and more often. He was flustered and nearly had heart attacks the first few times, but he quickly got over it. And the more time she spent with him, the more she felt like her old self. When he told her about his dreams, Milia encouraged him to follow them, even though Izuku was Quirkless.

It wasn’t until after Izuku got picked up by Rias that she began training. Training to go to U.A. had not been easy. But she was determined to go to U.A. Not to become a hero, but to be by Izuku’s side. She was afraid of losing him to Ibara and Ochako, and maybe the other girls in Rias’ peerage. And now here she was, standing beside other hopeful U.A. applicants. This will not be easy. But she knew she had to do this so that one day she can help Izuku like how he helped her.

That didn’t mean she didn’t feel like running to the bathroom to puke, though. She knew that Celica would be taking this test too, but the odds of her being in the same group as her were slim, so she can’t rely on her for help.

“Wait a sec… Takamaki?”

Milia nearly jumped out of her skin when someone called her name. It took a moment to recognize the voice, as she only briefly met her once. “J-Jiro-san?”

Kyoka smiled as she walked up to Milia. “Wasn’t expecting to see you here,” she said.

“Y-yeah, I suppose…” Milia chuckled nervously. She and Kyoka had only met once before when Momo had come to Aldera to pick up Ibara and Izuku for training. “Y-You ready for this?”

“Hell no.”

“That was… blunt…” Milia said, before nodding. “But yeah. I’d be lying to say I’m not nervous about this.”

Kyoka chuckled. “Seriously, though, why are you here? You don’t strike me as the type to wanting to be a hero.”

“Uh, well, I…” Milia desperately tried to think of something, praying to the Satans she wasn’t blushing.

“…It’s because of Midoriya, isn’t it?”

And her hopes were dashed. “W-what!? No, I-” when she saw thew knowing smirk Kyoka had, she gave up trying to hide her reason. “Yeah…”

 

* * *

 

To say that Iida Tenya’s experience with U.A. was disheartening would be one way to put it. For years, he had always imagined U.A as the pinnacle of Hero institutions. A glorious facility that, through its rigorous curriculum, had produced many great Heroes, from All Might to each member of the Iida family.

This almost holy institution was a mold, one that turned young students into the next generation of great Heroes. And Tenya did everything in his power to prepare himself, to prove himself worthy of stepping into its halls.

He spent countless hours training with his parents and brother so his Quirk, Engine, would be ready for the rigorous trials of this exam.

_“Come on Tenya, you don't need to kill yourself over this. It’s just an exam like any other. Just do your best and you’ll pass it no problem.”_

While Tensei had told him those words, Tenya knew that they hid a double meaning. He had to train, but not to the point of exhaustion. This exam posed no problem for Tensei, but only because he had mastered the family techniques to the point where he made even the most grueling and difficult maneuvers look easy.

All Tenya had to do was push himself to the limit to pass. Then, and only then, will he be allowed to enter U.A.’s halls.

_‘And yet everyone else is…’_ Tenya scanned his surroundings. After the exam overview, Present Mic directed them to the lockers so they could change into the attire they brought for the practical exam. He brought the tracksuit that was specially designed for members of his family, made of frictionless material that clung tightly to the body but did not chafe. According to Tensei, that was important for Hero costumes, but for the life of him, Tenya couldn’t understand why.

Everyone else, however, wasn’t as prepared as he was. Tracksuits, sweat pants, old t-shirts that looked far too big for those wearing them, and the occasional scarf worn to make the outfit appear more like a Hero costume. Sure there were occasional homemade masks and such, but they were few and far between. Some even had the audacity to wear their school uniforms for this.

The boy who had been distracting was here as well. He was talking with another applicant, a girl with a perma-blush. Weren’t they aware they could be distracting the other students who were trying to focus and steel their own nerves! Tenya began to open his mouth to silence them but stopped himself. _‘I shouldn’t, or else I’ll distract them and others from the exam.’_

The two seemed to know each other. Possibly from neighboring schools, perhaps? Whatever the case, they seemed to be planning to work together, which Pro Heroes often did. Plus, it seemed that Tenya himself was the only one being bothered by them. He just needed to focus on the exam. That was the most important thing right now.

Unknown to Tenya and the other examinees, the large doors to the battle center opened up with surprisingly little noise. After a few seconds, the loud voice of Present Mic suddenly yelled down at them from above. _[“Go! Go! Go! In real battles, there are no countdowns! What are you doing, listeners? You’re wasting air time!”]_

For a few seconds, everyone just stood in shock, and then almost as one, everyone rushed into the battle center.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus we've finally reached the U.A. Entrance Exams! Yay! Quick question: Where do you think everyone will be placed once they passed? How different will their scores be from canon?


	14. Robots and Exams

“So what do we do first, Izu-kun?” Ochako asked as she and Izuku silently trailed behind the other examinees.

Izuku began thinking, weighing their options. From what he could tell, they had two. The first was that he could rush into the center of the battle zone. That would probably be where the most enemies were, but a majority of the other examines were sure to rush that way. Or he could head more towards the outskirts. There would probably be fewer enemies, but far less competition.

His decision was made pretty quickly when the majority of the test takers rushed toward the center of the battle zone. “We’ll stick to the outskirts!” He told Ochako. “There be too much competition if we rush into the battle zones center.”

Ochako nodded, filling close behind him as they made a sharp turn. Izuku summing his Sacred Gear and activated Dragon Force, his dragonic wings spreading. “I’ll take to the air and look for any robots. And remember not to use your Rook strength. We don’t want to draw any unwanted attention.”

“Right!”

Izuku took to the air, rising several stories above the streets. From above, he saw a group of three one-pointers and a two-pointer in an ally. “I see some! This way!” Izuku dive-bombed down sword the robots, sweeping over the one-pointers and landing behind the two-pointer with ease.

The two-pointer turned menacingly at Izuku. “Terminate!” The robot luged at Izuku. But the devil ducked underneath its attack.

_‘Promotion: Rook!’_

**[Boost!]**

With increased strength, Izuku easily tore off the robots armor plating. Using it he stabbed the robot right into its chest. The machine let out a hum before it shut down. “That’s two,” Izuku huffed.

“Release!”

Looking back, Izuku saw Ochako as the three one-pointers landed around her, each breaking.

“I got three!”

Izuku shield, before realizing, “It might not be a good idea to keep track of how many points we get. We only have 10 minutes so keeping track might waste time.”

Ochako blinked, realizing he might be right. “Then what are we waiting for! Let’s hurry!” He then ran on ahead of him.

“Hey, Ochako-san, wait up! We should stick together!”

 

* * *

 

It took a few seconds for Milia to realize that the exam had already started. When she did she noticed that everyone else had already rushed into the faux city. “Good luck, Takamaki!” Kyoka called out from the crowd.

Gasping, Milia quickly ran after them, running as fast as she could to keep up. She wanted to use her devil wings to get the advantage, but she knew it would be bad if she used them here. As such, she had no choice but to run on the ground like everyone else. All of the other applicants had already scattered throughout the fake city, including Kyoka, so there was little hope of Milia teaming up with the rocking girl. She’d just have to go after as many robots she could and hope for the best.

Suddenly, one of the robotic foes rushed out from an alleyway. Milia slid to a stop as the robot turned to face him with an ominous “Locked on target.” It was a one-pointer. The easiest one, and Milia was glad for that. An easy target to face to get rid of her nerves.

The robot lunged at her. With grace, Milia waved her hand, and the robot was cut to pieces, each landing harmlessly around her. The reason why? Her fingers had grown into long claws.

**Milia Takamaki, Quirk: Spearfinger. She can turn the tips of her fingers into razor-sharp claws that can cut through almost anything and can extend up to 10 meters!**

Milia stared at the pile of scrap that was once a robot before a small smile spread across her face. That was the boost in confidence she needed. “That’s one,” she said, her claws retracting as she continued on her way. Time was short and she couldn’t waste it.

 

* * *

 

“ **DIIIIE!!** ”

An explosion marked the end of the two-pointer in front of him, but Bakugo Katsuki didn’t stop to admire his handiwork. He jumped up and used the bucket of bolts as a springboard to get further away from the crowd of extras behind him. Sweat streamed from his arms thanks to the intense heat and exertion. He used it to sling more explosions at the small crowd of six robots heading dumbly towards them.

“You shitheads aren’t going to get killed by anyone but me!” With a swing of his arm, explosions erupted from the ground below. The robots’ progress was halted, but that wasn't the only reason for him hitting the ground and not the robots.

The extras behind him began to cough and wheeze, the smoke blocking their vision. Smiling that he dealt with the competition, for now, Bakugo bombarded the one-pointers with explosions, obliterating them with ease. He didn’t even bother to count how many points he’d gotten by now. It didn’t matter, for he knew he would take first place and get into U.A.

Leaving the extras behind, Bakugo used his explosions to propel himself through the faux city, searching for any other robots he’d send to robot hell.

“Target acquired.”

Turns out, one found him. A three-pointer had stepped out of an ally, it’s red eyes focused on Bakugo. He smirked as he landed in front of the robot. “You want to go, shithead? Good! I’LL KILL YOU RIGHT HERE AND-”

_*Slice!*_

Dark red energy ran up the robot for a brief moment before it suddenly split into, the halves falling apart briefly before it exploded.

Bakugou could only watch dumbfounded at what happened. Someone, somehow, stole his kill. Someone dared to take HIS kill! “Who the hell did that!?”

When the smoke from the explosions cleared, Bakugo saw it was the duel-toned boy from the lecture hall. The one who called out Glasses about Deku’s stupid muttering. He was still wearing his sloppily worn school uniform, only now he was carrying a long, red sword.

“That’s 27,” he said, a stupidly cocky smile on this face.

“HEY!” Bakugo shouted, gaining the boy’s attention. “WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!”

“Uh, getting points?” he said. “I mean, we’re all doing that, so it’s kinda obvious.”

“THAT WAS MY KILL! AND YOU STOLE IT!”

“Hey! Take your anger out on the robots, not me!”

“I INTEND TO, CLOWNFISH!”

‘Clownfish’ bilked at the nickname. “Clownfish? Really? _That’s_ the best you could come up with? You don’t have anything more original?”

“SHUT UP AND STAY THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY!” Bakugo roared, propelling himself away.

Clownfish watched as Bakugo blasted off, presumedly to take his anger out on the poor robots. “Geez… That guy has issues. And that nickname… He reminds me of the lobster.”

 

* * *

 

“ACHOO! Alright, who’s talking about me?!”

 

* * *

 

Things could’ve been going better for Kyoka. She dug her right ear jack into the two-pointer to her right, piercing through the metal like paper. The sound of her amplified heartbeat was transferred into the robot, rocking the automaton with vibrations. The robot’s insides obviously disagreed with the sounds bouncing around inside, quavering and smoking from the gaps in the armor. Once Kyouka removed the jack, the machine fell to the ground in a useless heap.

 _‘That’s twenty points…’_ Kyouka wiped her forehead, already sweating, and looked around. _‘It’s going to be a pain to find more.’_

Her Quirk wasn’t one suited to long-range combat, and as such she and a few other examines missed out on the initial wave of robots. Thus she was forced to take out the robots designated as ‘hidden’ villains, skulking in alleyways and sewers.

It was easy enough to find them thanks to her advance hearing. The problem was that she might not get to them in time to earn enough points. She was fairly confident she did well on the written exam, thanks to Momo’s help, but the practical exam was more than she had bargained for. Thank god for the training she did with Momo, otherwise, she probably would be doing far worse right now.

She turned back to the street to find more robots but heard the crunching of gravel from above. _‘Oh, you have got to be kidding!’_

Kyoka looked up to see a three-pointer staring down at her from the edge of the roof to her right. “Well, crap,” she muttered as the robot jumped down towards her. She jumped back, shooting her jacks up.

But before her jacks could reach, the robot suddenly split in half, the two pieces missing her completely. “What the hell?” She turned to see the two halves crash into.

“Are you okay, Jiro-san?”

Kyoka turned back around to see the familiar face of Takamaki Milia running up to her, her fingers currently long claws.

“Yeah. Thanks for the save,” Kyoka said. She then flashed a cheeky grin. “But don’t you think you could’ve done it without kill-stealing?”

Milia suddenly looked flustered. “I-I didn’t mean… I was just passing by, and saw that robot about to ambush you, so…”

As much as Kyoka would’ve liked to continued to watch her squirm, for both of their sakes she needed to cut this short. “Joking. Thanks a lot, but you really should focus on passing yourself. I trained just as much for this as you did, you know.”

“…Maybe for a little longer than me…” she quietly said.

Kyoka noticed the sad tone, but before she could say anything, something in the corner of her eye caught her attention. “Look out!” She pushed Milia aside right as a fist that had a jet engine where the wrist should be flew by.

Milia beached from shock. That rocket fist would’ve hit her in the head had Kyoka not pushed her out of the way. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” Kyoka replied. “Now let’s get moving so we can survive this insanity.”

 

* * *

 

“HURRY UP LISTENERS!” Present Mic screamed into the loudspeaker. “You’re halfway done now! And those robots aren’t endless! You need to get’em while you still can! Pull out all the stops to get those Villain points! Say ‘Hey’ if y’all understand!”

Nobody responded. “Okay! That’s all! I’ll let you listeners know when we’re reaching the end of this concert! Give it your all!” With that, Present Mic turned off the microphone and slumped in his chair. “Kids today are just no fun…” Just as before, no one proctoring the exam paid their co-worker any mind.

Currently, all of the U.A.’s hero staff were in a separate room, surveying each and every battle facility. They were paying close attention to each and every examinee. How they fight, how they react to everything, how they _act_. Every single detail was very important.

“Well, it looks like things are off to a fine start.” Nezu took his teacup and sipped on it, managing to hold the fine china like an expert despite having no thumbs.

Considering how his Quirk made him more intelligent than any normal human, Nezu had probably figured out a work-around for that particular problem a lifetime ago.

“Yes,” Yagi Toshinori rubbed his chin. “You’ve certainly got a bunch of promising kids applying today.”

“That’s one way to put it,” Mizushima said, eyeing the monitor that was following Ochako. She couldn’t help but smile at how they took down a group of two-pointers so easily. “Though some of them might need some work.”

The pro heroes in the room all turned toward the monitor that showed Bakugo. He had already acclimated 70 points by now and was currently demolishing a three-pointer with his explosions. He then started yelling at some of the other examinees. “He may have an attitude, but look at him go.” The ghost-themed hero Ectoplasm rubbed his chin while observing Bakugo. “He just keeps going and going, never stopping for a break and trying his damndest to destroy any robot in his path regardless of difficulty.”

The Rated 18+ Hero Midnight chuckled at that. “Well, that’s a long-winded way of saying that the boy has a lot of stamina.” She gave the screen a coy smile. "These boys are certainly showing their stuff. If we whip them into shape, they’ll become amazing in…”

“Midnight…”

“Come on, Ectoplasm, can’t a girl crack a joke?” Midnight shrugged.

Shaking his head, Aizawa Shota turned his attention back to Bakugo. _‘Mizushima is right. Bakugo is going to be a handful.’_ He could already tell. That face certainly did not belong on a child trying to become a hero. He seemed like the type who valued and flaunted strength above all.

But what really caught Aizawa’s attention were how some of the students seemed to be holding back, in particular, Midoriya Izuku, Uraraka Ochako, Shiozaki Ibara, Kido Hyde, Celica A. Mercery, and Takamaki Milia. Each of them moved and acted like they’ve been in combat before, and it was obvious to him that they were far more capable than they let on. Midoriya and Kido stuck out to him the most. While dragonic transformation Quirks weren’t unheard of, every time Midoriya’s left arm glowed his strength seemed to increase. There were no power type Quirks that can increase your own power like that, as far as he knew. And while Kido’s dark energy manipulation didn’t seem that unusual, the sword he seemingly pulled out of his hand certainly was. They could all tell how deadly it was, with the way he sliced apart a three-pointer that was harassing a couple of girls.

Aizawa was sure that at least Nedzu and All Might noticed this, based on how much they were paying attention to these examines in particular. He could tell that Mizushima, however, knew at least Uraraka. It still boggled him about how much the girl recovered after what happened. It was certainly a shock when Mizushima approached U.A., asking for a teaching position. The memory of the broken young women who couldn’t even walk, let alone do hero work, was still ingrain deep within the minds of U.A.’s older staff.

While she didn’t reveal much about her time in Katmandu, Nedzu had accepted her request to teach, likely because Mizushima’s story would be a good example of the kind of dangers the students will face someday. Whatever the reason, Aizawa would have to trust the principles decisions for now.

“Two minutes left, boss-man,” Present Mic announced.

“Then unleash the Executors,” Nezu’s face lit up in a worrying manner.

 

* * *

 

Ibara clasped her hands together, the vines that make up her hair digging through the ground. In seconds the four one-pointers and the three two-pointers were ensured by her vines. Rising several feet above the ground, the vines crushed the robots with ease. “Eight more points.” She had lost count of how many points she accumulated, but she was positive it was around 30 by now.

She could’ve easily gotten far more than that, but many of the examinees in her battle center were struggling against most of the robots. As such she spent most of the time helping them deal with the robots, something that was easy for her due to her Quirk.

Nearby the ponytail girl she had met earlier, Kendo Itsuka, was doing something similar, helping a girl who was pinned by a displaced car… by lifting the car with her hands that had grown to an enormous size. “You okay?” Kendo asked

The girl, who had big lips and short gray hair that covered her left eye, stumbled slightly. “Thank you for moving that vehicular transport off of myself. I lacked the vigor needed to move it.”

Kendo blinked. “Uh, you’re welcome… I think.”

Ibara had a decent idea on what the girl said, but before she could say anything, the ground began to shake. “W-what the…?!”

Screams of terror could be heard nearby, with several examinees pouring into the alleys.

“They call that an obstacle!?” a boy, shorter than the girls by almost a head and with weirdly round purple hair shrieked as he ran by them.

Soon the source of their terror became visible. “Oh, boy,” Kendo gulped.

 

* * *

 

Hyde acted quickly, slicing up the three-pointer with ease. Once the machine was down, he turned to the two girls who were struggling against it. “You guy’s okay?”

“Yeah,” the first girl, who had pink skin and hair, black eyes and two yellow horns, said. “Thanks for that.”

“…Thanks…” the other girl had shoulder-length, bob-shaped hair, side-swept to her right with some shorter strands hanging above her cerulean eyes. She spoke with a neutral expression on her face.

“Not much of a talker, are ya?” Hyde asked.

“As far as I canna tell, yep!” A third, bubbly girl’s voice said.

“Waugh! Who said that?!” Hyde demanded, aiming his blade at the seemingly empty space.

“Wait! Wait! Calm down! Let me get my clothes back on!” The same voice said. Nearby a backpack seemingly opened on its own, a bar and panties coming and floating in the air, followed by a shirt and shorts. “That’s better.”

Hyde could hardly believe what he was seeing. A girl, a NAKED girl, had just put her clothes back on right in front of him. His face burned slightly at the sight. The only reason his entire head wasn’t red was because, well, the girl was invisible.

“Oh, like what you see, do ya?” The pink girl teased. Hyde now noticed that she was wearing a rather form-fitting sports bra and shorts, which somehow put emphasis on her-

Hyde shook his head, stopping that train of thought as best he could. “Why the hell were you naked?!”

“So I could get to the robots off switches without them seeing me,” the invisible girl replied.

“…These things have off switches?”

None of the girls didn’t get a chance to answer him though, as they were interrupted by the sound of a building imploding nearby.

“What the heck was that?!” The pink-skinned girl exclaimed.

As the dust and smoke cleared, they could see something step out into view. “Shit,” Hyde whispered.

 

* * *

 

“Ochako-san, where’d you go?” Izuku hissed. All it took for him to lose her was for her to head down an alleyway. After that he spent most of the exam looking for her, taking out any robots he found. After a few more twists and turns, and taking out a couple more robots, Izuku suddenly found himself in the fray of the battle. As he expected, there was more kill stealing going on with the main battle group than was smart. Not to mention that he heard people calling out their scores to each other.

He looked through the crowd, to seeing Ochako anywhere in it. _‘She’s not here. I need to keep looking.’_ Izuku thought to himself when it seemed like the entire world suddenly exploded around them. Everyone stopped fighting when one of the buildings suddenly imploded, collapsing in on itself.

Before the smoke and dust had cleared from the collapsed building, everyone heard Present Mic yell, _[_ _“Less than two minutes remaining! So hurry it up, listeners!”]_

But no one was moving, because the dust had cleared and revealed the zero-pointer. It was the same shape as the printout. But the zero-pointer was taller than many of the buildings. It barely fit in the street and knocked free chunks of wood and stone every time it moved.

 _‘Present Mic had said that it was just an obstacle or a distraction, something to be avoided, but that is a bit much!’_ Izuku doubted he had the power necessary to take something like it down right now, so it was fortunate that he and the other examinees weren’t expecting to do so. Many of the other examinees were already running away from the zero-pointer as fast as they could, scattering in all directions. _‘I better get out of here too.’_ Izuku turned to run away when he saw it.

Ochako was in the path of the zero-pointer. Her legs were trapped by the debris it had created. And she was at most two-seconds away from being stepped on. Even if she had strength comparable to Koneko’s now, that didn’t mean she was at all used to it yet.

 _‘Promotion: Knight!’_ Izuku sped as fast as he could, reaching Ochako in a few seconds. He could try to lift the rock and get them both out of there, but that might take too long. So instead Izuku flew up, toward the robots face.

Within his Boosted Gear, energy gathered, ready to explode. “DRAGON SMASH!”

**[EXPLOSION!]**

Releasing the stored energy, Izuku punched the zero-pointer with all his might. What resulted was the head coming clean off as the body started falling apart. All the other examinees could only watch in awe as they saw Izuku taking down a robot bigger than a building with a single punch!

Izuku huffed with pride, gripping his arm as pain swelled within it. That attack was defiantly above what he could handle at the moment. “That did it.” He smiled as he landed on the ground, before running over to Ochako. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Ochako looked to be in a daze, and Izuku now saw that a slight amount of blood was dripping down her head. “Give me a sec,” with a grunt, Ochako lifted the boulder that pinned her with ease.

“What happened?”

“I’m not sure,” Ochako replied. “When the zero-pointer showed up, I starting running with every else, but then a rock must’ve hit my head before that boulder pinned me.”

 _["Five… four… three… two… one… TIME’S UP, LISTENERS!”]_ When Present Mic finished his countdown, all of the remaining robots stopped moving. _[_ _“And that’s all folks! U.A.’s Practical Exam is officially over! Please bring yourselves to the gates of your respective areas for any first-aid you require and to confirm how you will be leaving! The results for the exam will be mailed to you in a week! Lemme hear y’all say HEY!”]_

Nobody did that. Ochako, however, lowered her head in shame. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. Izuku looked at her quizzically. “I shouldn’t have run off like that. Because of me, we might not-”

“It’s okay,” Izuku told her. He took her arm and wrapped it around his head. “C’mon, let’s go. We need to get your head looked at.”

As the examinees watched Izuku and Ochako leave, muttering to themselves about what they saw, Iida Tenya could only watch in confusion. _‘They’re all missing the point. Don’t they see what he did?’_ Tenya thought. _‘He sacrificed everything. Just to save that girl. He must have known how little time was left, and how much points he needed to pass, and that he was putting his life at risk. But despite those concerns, he didn’t hesitate to help.’_ Iida then clenched his fist as he remembered he had just run away without even trying to help. And how he belittled Izuku during the lecture hall. _‘If this hadn’t been an exam… then, of course, I would have done the same thing!’_

And then it hit him…

 _‘Wait… the exam… the judges, they saw that!’_ He realized as he held his chin. If that were the case… then maybe…

 

* * *

 

Over the next week, Izuku and Ochako worried themselves sick over the results. However, after the fact, Izuku was left wondering if he hadn’t made a mistake. For the first few minutes of the test, they felt like they had performed pretty well. Ochako was having it the worst, blaming herself for both her and Izuku not being able to attend U.A.

Ibara and Inko had been able to provide some support for them, but both were also worried about them. The other members of Gremory peerage did their best to help as well. After about five days, Momo had received news about her results, saying that she had been accepted into U.A.

“So you’re officially a recommendations student now, huh?” Yuuto asked, sipping some tea in the clubroom.

“Yes,” Momo practically beamed with joy.

“Did you fight robots like us?” Ibara asked.

“No, it was more of a series of obstacle courses,” Momo answered. “Me and the other recommended students raced each other. I managed to achieve first place, while a girl who could split her body reached second. There was really no combat involved.”

“Lucky,” Kyoka groaned. “Those robots were a real pain. Uraraka and Midoriya nearly died because of them, didn’t they?”

The two in question laughed nervously. “I doubt the staff would’ve let that happen,” said Rias. “But I am proud of all of you. I’m sure you all passed.”

“…But, what if we didn’t?” Ochako asked.

“Well, we’ll just have to wait and see, now won’t we?”

 

* * *

 

It was now March, about a week since the entrance exam. A week of waiting with some combat training with Yuuto to relieve stress had passed before he, Ochako, and Ibara returned home one day to find Inko fretting over the mail. The stamp at the back of each letter was all that they needed to confirm who sent it.

“T-This is it…”

The three made their way to Izuku’s room and closed the door. Izuku sat at his desk with only the desk lamp on as a light course. He had set his letter in front of him and was just staring at it. Ibara was sitting on the bed while Ochako stood behind him, each holding onto their respective letter.

“…Moment of truth,” Izuku took off the seal with his trembling fingers and opened the letter. He peeked inside to see a small thin disk. “What the…?” He took it up and saw ‘place this side on a smooth flat surface’ written on the back. Shrugging to himself, he complied and put the disk onto his desk.

After a small beep, a hologram appeared in the air above. It was All Might, dressed in a yellow suit that seemed to barely contain his physique. Behind him was a stage that flashed red, blue, and yellow.

 _“_ ** _I AM HERE AS A PROJECTION!_** _”_ All Might began, grinning at the camera.

The three jumped back in shock, with Izuku almost falling out of the chair. The disk was a holographic projector. And just like he announced, All Might was the one on the screen.

“All Might?!” Ochako gasped.

“OHMYGOSH!” Izuku’s jaw hit the floor as the image of All Might laughed at his own ‘joke’. “A-All Might is recording these!? But they wouldn't do that unless… Unless All Might is going to be teaching!”

It took everything Izuku had to not faint.

 _“_ ** _I know I’ve been quiet this past week, but with great power comes a great amount of paperwork._** _”_ All Might then cleared his throat and did a light bow. _“_ ** _I apologize. The truth is, I didn’t come to this city just to fight villains. You’re looking at the newest U.A. Faculty member!_** _”_

The three let out a loud gasp. All Might… was going to be a teacher at U.A.?! “He’s seriously going to be working at U.A.?” Ibara asked.

Surprisingly, All Might nodded as if he actually acknowledged Ibara’s question. But suddenly a hand came onto the screen.

 _“Stop showboating, will you?”_ A familiar voice said before stepping into view.

 _“_ **_Hm, who’s showboating, Young Mizushima?_ ** _”_

“MIZU-SAN/ONEECHAN?!”

 _“Uh, you,”_ Mizu matter-of-factly said. _“We need to wrap this up. We have at least a dozen more to do.”_

 _“_ ** _Of course._** _”_ All Might let out a sigh and kept going. _“_ ** _Right, moving on. Young Midoriya, you have passed the written exam with a score of over 90%, which is more than enough to generate you a spot at U.A.! For the piratical, you scored 28 points. Normally, that wouldn’t be enough to enter the Heroics Course._** _”_

Izuku lowered his head dejectedly at that, tears beginning to swell in Ochako’s eyes due to guilt, while Ibara looked to them pity.

 _“_ **_IF the practical was based solely on combat prowess!_ ** _”_

…What?

Izuku and the girls slowly looked up to the screen.

 _“He’s right. While Villain Points are the basic measurement we use to judge applicants, it’s not the only one,”_ Mizu continued as a video of when Izuku saved Ochako from the zero-pointer was shown.

 _“_ ** _Such conviction… such selflessness! As the bastion of Japan's future Heroes, it would be foolish of us to ignore these qualities important for all Heroes!_** _”_ All Might returned to the stand and flashed his signature grin. _“_ ** _As such, we have an entirely different category for such acts, rated by a panel of judges! Rescue Points! And my boy… you have the highest of the lot: sixty points! Congratulations!_** _”_

Izuku could hardly believe what he heard. The 28 villain points he got, along with the 60 rescue points meant that… he had gotten a total of 88 points!

 _“_ ** _Now then, welcome Young Midoriya… to your Hero Academia!_** _”_ All Might and Mizu thrusted their fists into the air.

 _“_ **_PLUS ULTRA!_ ** _”_

Izuku began to cry. Behind him he heard Ibara and Ochako opening their letters, finding the same holodiscs that came in Izuku’s. The messages that they had were similar to Izuku’s, giving them their scores for both the written and partial exams. Ibara had earned 82 points in the practical, while Ochako had 60, which meant…

The two began to cry tears of joy along with Izuku before they went over to Izuku, hugging each other. They made it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you wanting to know, here are the test rankings:
> 
> No. 1: Midoriya Izuku, Villain Points: 28, Rescue Points: 60  
> No. 2: Celica A. Mercury, Villain Points: 35, Rescue Points: 50  
> No. 3: Shiozaki Ibara, Villain Points: 30, Rescue Points: 52  
> No. 4: Kido Hyde, Villain Points: 39, Rescue Points: 40  
> No. 5: Bakugo Katsuki, Villain Points: 77, Rescue Points: 0  
> No. 6: Kirishima Eijiro, Villain Points: 39, Rescue Points: 35  
> No. 7: Kendo Itsuka, Villain Points: 25, Rescue Points: 40  
> No. 8: Jiro Kyoka, Villain Points: 26, Rescue Points: 37  
> No. 9: Iida Tenya, Villain Points: 52, Rescue Points: 9  
> No. 10: Uraraka Ochako, Villain Points: 35, Rescue Points: 25  
> No. 12: Milia Takamaki, Villain Points: 23, Rescue Points: 35
> 
> I included Milia because I’m sure some of you wanted to know how well she did. If you’re wondering who’s in 11th, it’s Tetsutetsu. The scores are mostly the same as they were in canon if you couldn’t tell. But man, Bakugo will flip his lid when he finds out he scored 5th, huh? Too bad that’ll have to wait.


	15. The Arrogant Phenex

The next day went by surprisingly fast. Last night they had told Inko the good news and she pretty much cried tears of joy until she passed out. Once school was done for the day, Izuku, Ibara, and Ochako made their way to the clubroom to meet the others as quickly as they could. Izuku still couldn’t believe it. He was going to the school of his dreams. And with friends that he felt he had known his whole life! All thanks to Rias. Nothing could ruin how he was feeling right now. Not even a berserk Kacchan!

“Guys!” Ochako exclaimed as they entered the clubroom. No one was present, however, except for Rias. “Huh? Guess we’re got here first.”

“I’m not surprised. Izuku-san was rather hard to keep up with,” said Ibara.

“Yeah, hehe,” Izuku laughed.

Rias was looking off into space with some wondering expression, apparently oblivious to their presence.

“I hope Mizu-oneechan gets here soon. She _seriously_ needs to explain herself!” Ochako huffed.

“Do you really think she’s going to be teaching at U.A.?” Ibarra asked.

“We’ll find out,” Izuku then noticed that Rias hadn’t reacted to them at all. “Buchou, is something wrong?” Izuku asked. Rias didn’t respond, the blank expression still on her face.

“Buchou?” Ibara asked, looking concerned. Still no answer.

“Buchou?” Ochako waved a hand in front of Rias’ face. Still nothing. Finally, Ochako took hold of Rias’ shoulder and began to shake her violently. “BUCHOU!”

Rias shrieked loudly as Ochako shook her, nearly falling out of her chair. She casted a hard glare at Ochako when she finished shaking her. “You could’ve done something else, Ochako,” she growled.

“Buchou, are you okay?” Izuku asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine Izu,” Rias answered, “I was spacing out was all. Anyway, I got your texts. Congratulations on passing the exam!”

“Thanks.”

Turning around, the group saw Kyoka enter the clubroom, followed by Momo, Yuuto, Koneko, and Mizu. “Hey! I was wondering when you’d get here,” Ochako said with her cheery smile.

“Looks like everyone’s here,” Mizu notated. “Nice job on passing the exam, Chako. I was secretly rooting for you!”

“You saw what we went through?!” Ochako asked. “Why didn’t you stop that monster, then? And why didn’t you tell me you were going to be teaching at U.A.?!”

“One, I knew you would be okay. And two, I wanted to surprise you!” The older woman answered.

“What was All Might like?!” Izuku asked, his fanboyism taking hold.

“A lot like he is on TV,” Mizu kept the part about All Might’s skeletal state secret. “And before you all ask, I only just started working at U.A., so I don’t know who you’ll be assigned to or what class you’ll be placed in.”

“What will you be teaching, Mizu-sama?” Momo asked.

“I’ll be helping with combat training, mostly hand-to-hand,” Mizu smiled. “So don’t expect me to go easy on you.”

“Speaking of classes, do you think we’ll end up in the same homeroom?” Kyoka asked. “Shitori’s on the student council, right? You think she can-”

“She might,” Rias said. “But Principle Nedzu is incredibly intelligent. It’ll rouse suspicion if she requests all of you end up in the same class, so don’t get your hopes up.”

The soon to be hero students all frowned, not liking their chances already.

“I know it doesn’t seem fair,” Rias spoke up, getting everyone’s attention. “But even if we’re all in different classes and departments, we’re all still going to U.A. The best hero school in the country.”

“She’s right,” Mizu said. “Besides, it’s not like you’ll be separated forever, just during classes. And I’ll be helping train all of you to be great heroes! So let’s focus on the positives for now. Now, are you gonna keep mopping or are we gonna go celebrate? There’s a special going on at Big Bang Burger.”

Everyone brightened up, even Koneko (somewhat). “You’re treat?” The white-haired devil asked.

The sorcerer blanched.

 

* * *

 

A few minutes of walking later and the group arrived at the Big Bang Burger that was only two blocks away from U.A. There weren’t many customers at the moment, so they made their orders and sat down. Soon their food arrived. Most of them made ordered the normal menu items. Koneko, on the other hand…

“Here you are, miss. The Cosmic Tower Burger,” the waitress placed what could only be described as a tower of meat, lettuce, cheese, sauce, and buns in front of Koneko. It stood at least a meter tall and was as wide as someone’s head!

Everyone in the restaurant, with the notable exceptions of Rias, Yuuto, and the staff, all turned to stare at the massive burger.

“It’s massive…”

“I’m honestly at a loss for words…”

Izuku could only stare at the massive challenge Koneko asked for, the waitress explaining the details about the burger before leaving, saying Koneko only had thirty minutes to finish the burger. “Is she going to be okay?” He asked.

“She’ll be fine,” Rias replied as she took a bite of her burger.

_Twenty Minutes Later_

“Can I have dessert?” Koneko asked the waitress, having just finished the Cosmic Tower.

_‘Is she for real?!’_

 

* * *

 

“At least I saved some of my paycheck,” Mizu groaned as they left the restaurant.

“Ugh, those burgers were monsters…” Ochako groaned, holding her stomach. “I should’ve gotten a smaller size…”

“Thinking about Koneko-chan eating that Cosmic Tower Burger makes me wanna vomit,” Ibara added.

As everyone walked together, trying to cheer them up from eating too much, Izuku felt someone watching them. The feeling wasn’t good at all and before he could look behind to see who it was…

“ _Deku…_ ”

Everyone stopped immediately. Some of them recognized that voice. They turned around to see someone that made Izuku flinch.

“K-Kacchan!?” Izuku said in surprise at seeing the ash-blond right behind them looking at him with an expression that wasn’t all too happy.

“…How’d you do it?” He said quietly, making Izuku raise a brow.

“E-excuse me?” Izuku asked as he didn’t quite hear what the explosion Quirk user said.

“I said… HOW THE FUCK DID YOU GET IN?!” Bakugo suddenly roared, making Izuku take a step back and the others to glare at him.

“Would you just lay off him?” Ochako said as she stepped forward in defense of Izuku.

“What?” Bakugo said irritably as he glared at the girl in front of him.

“She said to stand down,” Ibara said as she stood next to Ochako.

Bakugo growled and let off smoke from his hands. “I DON’T HAVE TO DEAL WITH YOU TWO BITCHES RIGHT NOW!” He yelled at them before glaring at the boy behind the girls. “NOW TELL ME HOW YOU CHEATED!”

“Wh-what?” Izuku stuttered at his former childhood friends words. “I-I didn’t cheat!”

“DON’T PLAY DUMB WITH ME, DEKU!” The ash-blond roared as he stomped his foot on the ground hard. “THERE’S NO WAY A LOSER LIKE YOU GOT FIRST WHILE SOMEHOW I GOT FUCKING FIFTH! NOW TELL ME HOW YOU-”

_*Slap!*_

Suddenly Bakugo was violently interrupted by Rias, who slapped him so hard he tumbled to the ground. “Leave him alone!”

Bakugo managed to sit back up on hold his right eye and used his left to send a death glare towards the crimson-haired girl. “Why you-”

“That’s enough!” Izuku suddenly spoke up directing everyone’s attention to him. “I don’t care what you say, or what you think. I applied because I have people who believe in me! People who said I could be a hero! So like it or not you can’t stop me!”

Yuuto nodded at his friend’s words. “Izuku-kun and the others are going to U.A. They’re going to become amazing heroes.”

“You hear that?! There’s no stopping us now!” Kyoka said with a confident smirk as she crossed her arms.

“Now get lost, asshole,” Koneko deadpanned, the white-haired girl glaring at him while cracking her knuckles.

Bakugo gave the group the most intense look he’s ever given anyone before as he got up. “Just you all wait. I’ll make all of you regret coming to U.A.” He growled darkly before storming off.

As they watched him leave, Mizu just shook her head. “That guy has some serious issues.”

“Yeah, but he is strong, there’s no denying that,” Izuku said quietly. He looked at his hand, clenching it into a fist.

Sensing the situation, Ochako decided to speak up. “Hey, why don’t we all go home? It’s getting late and we need all the rest we can for when U.A. starts up.”

Everyone turned to Ochako and nodded with a smile at her suggestion. “Yeah, I’m pretty exhausted, too,” Momo stated with everyone else nodding in agreement.

“Classes don’t start until April, so you all have about a month until then.” Said Mizu. “Be sure to get plenty of rest, but don’t slack off on your training. Speaking of, Chako, we have lessons tonight.”

“…I was kinda hoping you forgot,” she groaned.

The group laughed a little before they went their separate directions. Though Izuku couldn’t help but notice the troubled look on Rias’ face.

 

* * *

 

The first thing Izuku did when returning home was lying back on his bed with an exhausted sigh. His mom was out buying groceries, Ibara having gone with her, and Ochako won’t be back until dinner. So he had the apartment to himself for a little bit. He thought back to how Rias was acting. Lately, she’d been spacing out more and more. “I wonder what’s bothering her?” He asked no one in particular.

Suddenly, the lights in his room began to dim and the air pressure slightly shifting. “Huh?” A crimson light shined his room, prompting him to sit up. To his surprise, it was a magic circle that bore the symbol of the Gremory family. The glow died out as quickly as it came, and he could see Rias standing where it once was. Though her bangs seemed to be shielding her eyes he noted that her expression had no emotion. “Eh? Buchou? What is it? Is something wrong?”

“Izuku…” her bangs cleared away from her eyes, a look of desperation appearing on her face. Izuku could tell that she looked very troubled by something and knew that she was going to ask for his help, which he would instantly give no matter what. But the words she said next he was not ready for. “…I want you to make love with me.”

Izuku blinked.

And then he blinked twice.

“S-say what?” was the only thing Izuku could say, standing up.

“I said I want you to take my virginity,” Rias rephrased as if she were lecturing him. And just like that, she began stripping, first removing her blazer, unbuttoning her shirt, and then undoing her skirt, leaving her with nothing more than her bra and panty. Izuku felt himself swallow spit as he ogled Rias’ body, unable to look away. The lacy red bra and panty she wore complimented her very nicely, something that Izuku noted to himself. He was completely paralyzed just from her body, unable to react and know what to do. “…I’m not good enough for you?” she asked him, walking up to him.

“What?! No- I mean… yes- I mean… but you’re- I mean… what are you doing?” Izuku stumbled through his words as his face turned as red as a tomato.

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking as of late, and I’ve decided that this is the only option there is,” Rias answered, holding her arms under her breasts and turning away slightly as she blushed. “If there is evidence, then they can’t complain about it. The only person close to me who is able to do it with me is you.”

“Um, me?” Izuku stuttered. “Can I ask why?”

“Of the boys I personally know there is Yuuto, but he won’t have any of it. He is too pure of a knight and his chivalry would get in the way. The same is true for the other one. That only leaves you,” before Izuku could answer to her logic, she grabbed him by the shirt and forced him onto the bed. He held his head up just in time to see her climbing on top of him and straddling his waist, “What’s wrong? Do you not find me attractive enough?”

“It’s not like that!” Izuku denied, shaking his head. “It’s just that when a pretty girl shows up in a boy’s room unannounced and-and suddenly says ‘let’s have sex’, it’s gonna catch him off guard!”

“…True, it would startle anyone,” her body shifted, and he could feel her buttocks and thighs touching his most important part. Her head dipped slightly so that she was directly above him and her crimson hair cascaded against his cheeks. “I know this is your first time, but it’s the same for me. So let’s just take it slow.” Looping her arms around her back, she unhooked her bra and carelessly tossed it aside. His eyes widened. Before him were Rias’ luscious breasts and plumped pink nipples. Then, she took his hand and pressed it against her right breast. Izuku could really feel how soft it felt against his hand, and how the nipple began to harden against his palm. It was just… so damn good! “Can you feel it?” she asked in a charming voice, “I’m just as tense as you are. You can tell by my heartbeat, right?”

 _‘WHAT IS HAPPENING?!’_ Izuku screamed in his head. He was seriously freaking out now. This has been the closest he has ever been with any girl. Looking up, he saw the look in his master’s eyes. His eyebrows furrowed. Those weren’t the eyes of someone who wanted to have sex willingly. His jitters slightly left his body as he gripped Rias by the shoulders and slowly pushed her so he could sit. “Buchou, take a break for a minute. You aren’t acting like… you."

Rias blinked, her eyes becoming more desperate, “What do you mean?”

“Well, ask yourself this: do you really want to do this?” Izuku asked.

“Of course I do!” she shouted, shocking him. “There’s no one else I can do it with! The one I want is you right now! We made have met months ago but there really isn’t any other way!”

“What do you mean there's no other way? Why are you in such a hurry to give up your virginity?” Izuku asked in a calm, yet startled voice.

Rias could have responded with another plea, but that didn’t come out when another crimson flash appeared in his room, alerting the teenagers on the bed. Rias clicked her tongue, “I was so close…”

Izuku turned and noticed that the red glow came from another magic circle that had the mark of Rias’ clan. Who was it? Kiba? Momo? Whoever it was, getting caught in such a situation was bad. But instead of any of his friends coming out, it was someone else completely.

She was an attractive-looking woman with silver hair that flowed down to her back and red eyes. Her hair had two braided side bangs with small blue bows at the ends, while the rest of it was let down in the back, also ending in twin braids, and a maid’s headdress on her head. She was dressed in a blue and white French maid uniform. Her lips were painted a bright red. She was also looking at Rias with a look of disapproval and her gaze seemed to cause the temperature in the room to drop. “Milady, are you trying to break the engagement by doing something like this?” she asked curtly.

_‘Engagement?’_

Rias frowned and stood up from the bed in all her naked glory, “Father and ‘zechs won’t listen to me! It’s the only way to get them to notice!”

“Even if it means giving up your purity to someone of lowly birth?” the maid continued, gesturing at Izuku. Izuku scowled at the offense, forgetting at the moment that he was in bed with a nude girl.

“Who I give my purity to is my decision and mine alone,” Rias answered, her eyes flashing quickly, “And I won’t have you speak insultingly of my servant, even if it’s you Grayfia.” Izuku couldn’t help but blush and smiled softly at how Rias quickly stood up for him.

The maid, now identified as Grayfia, sighed as she picked up Rias’s bra and snapped it back on her bosom. “Please remember that you are the next heiress of the House of Gremory, so please don’t show your skin to a man recklessly. It’s not a good image for your reputation.” She noticed that Izuku was still in the room and gave a polite bow. “Greetings, servant of Rias. I am Grayfia, the head maid of the House of Gremory. My apologies for what I said before.”

Catching himself, Izuku got up from his bed and also bowed, stuttering, “Th-that’s fine ma’am.”

“Grayfia,” Rias began, her face showing unladylike unpleasantness, “Did you come here of your own accord? Or because the household sent you? Or was it ‘zechs?”

“All three,” Grayfia said matter-of-factly. From the way Rias’ frown deepened, she didn’t like the answer.

“Given the fact that you’re his Queen, I should have known you’d pull something like this,” Rias gave an exasperated sigh as she placed on the remainder of her clothing. “Sorry about this, Izuku,” she said to him, “I guess I wasn’t thinking straight after all. Thank you for talking me out of it.”

“Uh… okay,” Izuku nodded dumbly.

“‘Izuku’?” Grayfia echoed, looking at him with sudden interest, “So, this boy is…”

“Yes,” Rias confirmed, “This is Midoriya Izuku, one of my newest additions, the one who cost me all eight of my Pawn Pieces to recruit, and bearer of the Boosted Gear.”

“So he is the Red Dragon Emperor… truly curious,” Grayfia said in amazement, eyes widening slightly.

“Grayfia, let’s go back to my room. I will listen to what you have to say over there. Momo can also attend, yes?” Rias asked.

“You’re newly acquired Queen?” Grayfia said. “That doesn’t bother me. A Queen must be by their King’s side at all times.”

“Very well.” Rias turned to Izuku and gave him a small peck on the cheek. “That’s my apology for troubling you. Meet up at the club room tomorrow and I’ll explain everything.” After she gave her farewell, she went up next to Grayfia. The magic circle appeared underneath them both and they vanished in a blink of light. As the lights turned back to the normal brightness, Izuku stood, dumbfounded, touching the cheek where she kissed him. He was left in such a shock that he didn’t even notice when his mom or the girls came home.

 

* * *

 

The following day, Izuku, Ochako, and Ibara were walking to the club school building. Kyoka had come along, saying something about Momo needing to meet with Rias last night. They had received a notice to report to the club room as soon as classes had finished. On their way over to the room, they met up with Yuuto. The five of them entered the building, wondering what the urgent meeting was about.

“I wonder if Buchou’s worries have something to do with her family,” Ibara wondered out loud.

“She has been acting a bit strangely as of late,” Yuuto said, agreeing, “Perhaps now she will tell us.”

“Do you think Momo-san might know?” Izuku asked.

“Considering that she’s her second-in-command now, that’s a given,” Yuuto told him. “We won’t know unless we hear what she has to say.”

Izuku nodded quietly, still pretty puzzled about what happened last night. He was still wondering what could have made Rias act so irrationally to want to try and have sex with him. Though he knew he would get his answer eventually, he still couldn’t help but think. On their way to the room, they came across a very large door. For some odd reason, it had police tape with the words “keep out” all over it. “What’s that? I don’t remember seeing that door before.”

“Oh…” Yuuto frowned slightly, “That’s where Buchou’s first Bishop currently resides.”

“Her first Bishop?” Ochako asked, turning at him.

“Oh yeah, I remember Buchou mentioning that she had one other Bishop piece,” Izuku said, recalling the conversation he had with her the night he went to save Ibara.

“Yes. He’s one of Buchou’s original servants, but for reasons I won’t elucidate Buchou was ordered to keep him here,” seeing their grim expressions, he gave a kind smile, “Don’t worry, he’s not bad. He’s actually very nice. The problem is that he’s a hikikomori and he’s very uncomfortable with stepping outside. So, he just sits in that room all day and night, and he’s perfectly fine with it.”

“Sounds like someone needs to grow a spine,” Kyoka stated.

“To be fair…” Yuuto began before he felt a sudden chill go down his spine. Agitated, he looked forward at the hallway that led to the club room. “I never felt this presence until I got here. Then that means…!” He ran to the club’s door with Izuku, Ibara, Ochako, and Kyoka close behind. The door opened and the five was greeted with the sight of the remainder of their friends. Mizu stood near the entrance, leaning against the wall while Koneko sat at one of the couches, quietly enjoying an ice pop. Their master was also present and she was sitting on the couch rather than her usual desk, her arms folded, her legs crossed, and a grim expression. The head maid, Grayfia, stood by the couch Rias was sitting. Grayfia looked just as stoic from the last time Izuku saw her, while Momo stood in an elegant stance, but she looked very nervous.

“Looks like everyone’s here,” Rias said, noticing the three of them enter the room.

“Milady, shall I tell them?” Grayfia offered.

Rias shook her head. “No. As I am the King of this group I should be the one to tell them,” Rias stood up and cleared her throat. “Everyone, to tell you the truth…”

Before anything more could be said, a magic circle appeared in an unoccupied space of the room. The magic circle was not red like the Gremory magic circles Izuku had seen so frequently. Instead, it was orange and seemed to give off the cry of a bird of prey. There was even a bird-like figure in the center of the circle. Everyone turned as soon the circle appeared and Rias seemed to give out an evil hiss at the sight of it.

“Phenex…” Izuku heard Yuuto whisper under his breath.

Rather than giving out a glow, flames shot out from the circle instead. Out from the tower of flames, a man appeared within.

“Ah… it’s been a long time since I’ve last visited the human world,” the man spoke, walking out from the flames as if they were air. Just looking at the way he carried himself, he seemed like a typical playboy. He was tall and handsome and looked to be in his early 20’s and had short blond hair with dark blue eyes. Clearly, he had a lot of money since he was wearing something very expensive. He was wearing a red burgundy blazer with gold embroidery on the right, matching pants and black dress shoes. Underneath the open blazer was a white dress shirt that partially exposed his chest. Looking around the room as the flame behind him vanished, he smirked as he spotted the only redhead among them, “My dear Rias, it’s been so long,” he said, walking over to the girl and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Her face twisted in disgust as she shoved him off of her.

“Don’t touch me so casually,” Rias said coldly, “If I had my way, I’d slap you in your smug-prick face right now.” Izuku, Ibara, Momo, Kyoka, and Ochako’s eyes widened from how sharp her words were.

The man took it to stride as he gave a nonchalant laugh. “Hahaha… still harsh as always, love. Regardless, we must take a look at the wedding hall. We need to verify the reception date and greet our families.”

“Wedding? Reception date?” Izuku frowned. From the look of Rias reaction towards the man, not to mention what she tried to do last night, everything was starting to click. He was starting to understand why she wanted to do it with him yesterday. If her purity was compromised, then she could have had some bit of freedom to herself. Seeing how carefree he was to the girl despite her obvious rejections made him really want to punch him in the face, or something like that. But someone had already beaten him to it.

“Who’s the gigolo?”

Various reactions swept through the clubroom. Rias had a large smirk on her face, seeing the man’s stunned face. Momo, Izuku, and Yuuto snickered quietly while Ibara gave a short yelp. Kyoka tried her best not to laugh out loud. Ochako blushed hard, not expecting her teacher to say that. Koneko gave a small grin as she snorted, while Grayfia didn’t seem to react much at all. As for the man, he glared at Mizu.

“How dare you!” He hissed. “Do you have any idea who you just mocked?!”

“I most certainly do, Phenex.” Mizu calmly stated.

“Please allow me to introduce to you Riser Phenex,” Grayfia interjected, gesturing at the man. “He is the third son of the House of Phenex of the 72 Pillars… and he is also Lady Rias’ fiancé.”

 _‘FIANCÉ!?’_ A majority of the group mentally screamed.

 

* * *

 

“Hm… excellent tea,” Riser smiled blissfully after taking a sip from the teacup. “As expected from Rias’ new Queen. I’ll look forward to more soon.” He was sitting on the couch with his arm around Rias, who looked like she would rather be anywhere but with him. The rest of the servants were also standing around them, each one looking almost pitiable.

Momo said nothing but gave a polite bow, likely holding her tongue. Though she did give Kyoka a wink, which the human returned before smirking. “I can only imagine what she’ll serve during our wedding,” Riser added.

Rias stomped her foot, “Again with that? Riser, I already told you that I will not marry you!”

“You know that isn’t for you to decide,” Riser said, his voice becoming serious, “As you already know, the number of pureblood devils has drastically decreased thanks to the Great War. Our marriage is vital to continue the survival of our people, as well as flourishing our households name.”

Rias rubbed her temples, “You don’t need to tell me that. I am well aware of my duties as heiress of my clan and I am willing to take a husband.”

“So you’ll-!”

“However!” she interrupted, looking at Raiser’s victorious face, “The husband I want will be of my choosing. In case you have forgotten it was our parents who arranged the marriage while I didn’t want any part of it. They didn’t have the right of selecting someone I would spend the rest of my life with without my consent. And that man isn’t you, nor will it ever be.”

The Gremory servants, Mizu and Kyoka included, smiled at Rias’ unyielding determination. But then the temperature started to rise up and everyone quickly took notice. A flaming aura in the shape of a bird engulfed Riser as he glared at Rias. “You’re selfish opinions matter very little. As a member of the Phenex, I cannot lose face to rejection,” he spoke, his cold voice contrasting with the heat. He reached out and took Rias’ chin into his hand, tucking her head up to his glowing orange eyes, “One way or another I will take you back as my wife, even if it means burning your servants into ash!”

Rias’ eyes glowed in an angry red, her own demonic aura starting to take shape. “If you dare touch even a single strand of hair on any of them, I’ll-”

“HALT!”

Rias and Riser jumped back from each other, their aura’s suddenly disappearing as they both turned to the maid, frightened. Her demonic aura leaked out of her body, easily dwarfing theirs. The room temperature went from hot to cold as Grayfia sent an icy cold glare at them. “I did not bring you both here just to incite violence. And I will not hold back if you disobey again. Am I clear?”

Izuku felt his bones shaking just from looking at Grayfia. She was a maid, yet she seemed to be stronger than both Rias and Riser combined. The later calmly placed his hands in his pockets, trying to save face, “I know when not to challenge the Silver-Haired Queen of Annihilation. Honestly, Lucifer’s Peerage are all abnormal, even by devil standards.”

 _‘Silver-Haired Queen of Annihilation?!’_ Izuku thought to himself, looking at Grayfia. The aura alone told him that the woman meant business and she was someone not to be taken lightly. He made a mental note to _never_ piss her off.

Grayfia’s aura disappeared and the room temperature returned to normal as she continued, “Nevertheless, Sirzechs and the other representatives foresaw this possibility and enacted an alternate solution, if you both are willing that is.”

“An alternate solution?” Rias blinked, “What you’re saying is…”

Grayfia nodded, “Yes. An unofficial Rating Game will take place between the Gremory Peerage and the Phenex Peerage. Should Rias win, the engagement will be called off. But if Riser wins, the wedding will proceed.”

“Che… a Rating Game,” Rias frowned. “They really are content with controlling my life, aren’t they?”

Riser, on the other hand, laughed confidently, “A Rating Game? That’s perfectly fine with me. This will be a good opportunity to show you your place, that there is nothing that can come between us, dear Rias.”

“Already so full of confidence,” Rias sneered, “Very well, I will accept your challenge. This is my one chance to get my freedom and I’ll enjoy knocking you off of your high horse!”

Grayfia glanced at the heirs and nodded, “Then it’s decided. The Rating Game between the Gremory family and the Phenex family is confirmed. I will inform Sirzechs and both of your households.”

Riser turned and glanced at the rest of the servants in the room, “Rias, are these people all the servants you have at this time?”

“Some are. What of it?” Rias asked.

Riser exploded in laughed, “Hahahaha! Surely you don’t think you can win with such a small amount, do you? From what I can see, only your Queen stands a possible chance against my cute servants!”

With a snap of his fingers, a much larger orange circle appeared in the room. A flame pillar burst out of it and simmered to reveal 15 beautiful women standing in the circle. Each one of them either wore an exotic outfit or some other clothing that fulfilled a specific fetish.

“As you can see, I have a complete set,” Riser boasted smugly, gesturing to the group of women. “My Pawns, Rooks, Knights, Bishops, and Queen are all present.”

 _‘Holy crap,’_ Izuku thought. He looked at each one of the servants one by one. There were those who were wearing gym shorts, maid outfits, kimonos, and other things. One of them he noticed looked very similar to Riser thanks to the matching blue eyes and blond hair, and from the lovely looking purple dress she seemed to be more like a princess than a servant. If Izuku didn’t know any better, he would say that she was his younger sister.

Riser casted a smirk at Rias, “Do you see this, Rias? Do you honestly think your weak servants stand a chance against mine?”

Rias casted a hateful glare at Riser. “If you ever again insinuate my peerage is weak I’ll-”

“You’ll do what?” Riser mocked. “Bore me into retiring? You knew very well that I’ve never lost a Rating Game. Aside from your Queen, all I see is a flat-chested loli, two innocent little girls who couldn’t hurt a fly, a pretty boy, and an unassuming Pawn. None of them can compare to my servants.”

“Do not disrespect my family, Riser! I will not tolerate that!” Rias screamed.

“Family? I see the Gremory compassion and kindness for their servants runs true in you. Very well then. When we are married, your boys will be put to work as slaves and your girls… well now, I can always use some variety in my sex life.”

Izuku’s mind went blank at that last bit. The high-class devil had basically admitted that he would take not just Rias, but her female servants to his bed as well. The thought of Momo, Ochako, Ibara, and Koneko forced to submit to this bastard… It just enraged him. He never felt this angry before in his life.

From the way most of the other women reacted, particularly Mizu, they too found him disgusting. Even some of Riser’s own peerage seemed unamused by his declaration. Riser, seemingly noticing the anger in Izuku’s eyes, spoke to him. “I seem to have offended you somehow, Pawn; should you like, I will gladly kill you in the Rating Game.”

“ENOUGH RISER!” Rias screamed. “TOUCH HIM AND YOU’LL DIE!”

“Ho ho, I’ve seemed to have found a weakness in you, my dear. Very well then, then I shall show mercy. You can train all you want before our game, but then and there I will break your pitiful toys.”

“Very well then,” Grayfia interjected. “Lady Rias, should you find it acceptable, the match will be held ten days after tomorrow.”

“Thank you Grayfia,” Rias spoke softly. “Thank you.”

“It is done. Details of the game shall be sent to you both.”

“It matters not! My victory is assured!” With that, Riser raised both his arms as if already celebrating his triumph. “Farewell, my dear Rias! When next we meet, we shall truly be man and wife! As for some of your servants,” Riser glared at Izuku, “Well, all deaths in the Game are accidents after all-”

_*Growl!*_

Riser suddenly blushed. “Oh dear…” That growl from his stomach did not sound good. As another growl emanated from him, the entire opposing peerage disappeared via orange transport glyphs in the floor. As for Grayfia, she gave a small bow before taking her leave on her magic circle. Once they were gone, Momo and Kyoka both began to snicker.

“What did you do?” Rias asked, an amused look on her face.

“It was Kyoka’s idea,” Momo admitted. “I added some… very strong laxatives to his tea.”

“How long will it last?” Rias snickered.

“If I had to guess, maybe a couple of days.”

The reactions were mixed. Rias, Ibara, and Yuuto chuckled in amusement, Koneko _smirked_ , Ochako desperately covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing, Mizu began rolling on the floor laughing, and Izuku snickered.

Once everyone calmed down, Rias was the first to speak as she turned her gaze on Izuku, “Are you going to be okay, Izu?”

“I’ll be fine,” Izuku replied. “Besides, we need to get ready.”

Rias nodded. “We have ten days. We all need to train hard to beat Riser.”

“And I can help,” Mizu offered.

Most of the devils looked to the sorcerer in surprise. “Really?” Rias blinked.

“That guy seriously irks me. Besides, as a sorcerer of Kamar-Taj it’s my duty to preserve peace between the supernatural factions,” Mizu grinned, “Maintaining good relations with the younger sister of the Devil King is part of that. And it be a serious problem if that Riser guy was your husband. That, and I can’t stand the thought of Chako being forced underneath him. I’ll help in any way I can. I’ll even come up with a training regiment for all of you if you want, Rias.”

“Hehe. I’ll take you up on that,” Rias smiled. She turned to her servants and spoke, “Now then everyone, Momo and I will prepare a venue to train for the next ten days. So all of you go home and prepare, this is a fight we cannot afford to lose!”

“HAI!” her servants all nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now the time has come to knock a certain arrogant prick down a peg! Too bad it's not Bakugo. That will come later. The next chapter might be delayed, so stay tuned. PLUS ULTRA!
> 
> Also, I'd like to announce that this story is now on FanFiction.net. It's a bit of a pain, but I think I can manage.


	16. Training Daze

That night, Izuku lay on his bed. His mind was still going over what happened in the clubroom earlier. The way that Riser treated Rias more as a trophy than an actual person infuriated him. He took some comfort in Momo and Kyoka’s prank, but it wasn’t enough to ease his thoughts. _‘This’ll be our first Rating Game.’_

Rias had told him that Riser has fought a total of 9 Rating Games and only lost twice, and both times he lost on purpose out of respect for the households his family were close to. This would be difficult. The stakes were high, as not only was Rias’ future at stake but everyone else’s. If the marriage were to go through, then the bylaws state that Rias and Riser will gain authority over the Peerages of the other. And Riser made it very clear what he intended to do once they married and he gained control over Rias’ Peerage.

Izuku gritted his teeth. He and everyone else simply _cannot_ afford to lose! _‘Buchou saved me. Now I have to save her.’_ With renewed resolve, Izuku got up and made his way to the bathroom. He had already informed mom that he and the others will be out of town for the next ten days, having told her it was last minute training before U.A. As such she had gone out to buy them some new clothes for the trip as well as some food.

Taking off his shirt, pants and finally boxers, Izuku opened the bathroom door… And immediately froze. There, just about ready to step into the warm, bubbly water, was a naked Ibara. “I-Izuku-san?”

Izuku’s mind went blank, having now realized he failed to see if anyone was already in.

“Kyah!” Izuku screamed in a high pitch, turning around as his head turned a deep shade of red, covering his privates. “I’M SO SORRY! I should’ve checked first!”

Ibara stood there for a moment, before her face erupted into a bright blush, having now realized what she saw. “I… I saw it…”

“I-I’ll l-l-leave n-now.” Izuku stuttered. But before he could leave the bathroom, Ibara used one of her vines to grab Izuku’s arm. “Huh?!”

“I-I’m sorry. Th-This is the first time… I’ve seen a boy’s, um… I’m sorry.”

“Th-There’s no reason for you to apologize. I-I s-should’ve checked first before coming in here. I’m sorry I saw your… E-e-e-everything. Can you let me go now?”

Ibara’s grip seem to tighten a little. “We’ve been living here for about six months now, but this is the first time something like this happened,” Izuku dared to look back at Ibara, taking care to only look at her face. “I’ve read that… Nude encounters like this can help people get closer. So… Do you want to have a nude encounter with me?”

Izuku’s face paled from shock, trying to process what she just asked. “Huh?”

Next thing he knew, Izuku had found himself sitting in the tub, his face as red as a tomato as he did everything in his power to not pass out. Behind him, Ibara was washing his back, her face red as well. _‘This is… awkward…’_ they both thought.

They stayed like that for about a minute, both unsure of what to say or do. Finally, Ibara spoke up. “Izuku-san… What do you think will happen if we lose?”

He had a good idea but chose not to say. “…I promise, we won’t lose,” Izuku reaffirmed. “I’ll protect you, Buchou, Ochako-san and everyone else.”

Then, before he could process it, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his back and pull him close. “I’m scared about what’ll happen, but I’m glad that you’re here. I know that you can do it, Izuku-san.” He heard Ibara’s voice, his face turning hot red as steam permeated from him. Not only was Ibara hugging him tightly while they were _naked_ , but he could feel a soft pair of pillows pressing up against his back. An interesting reaction happened.

“I-I-I g-gotta g-go!” Izuku stood up, Ibara still wrapped around him

“Izuku-san, wait!” Ibara let go but slipped. “KYAH!”

She grabbed onto Izuku for support, but that only caused the boy to fall as well. The two crashed with a loud thud, with Ibara on top of Izuku. Before the two could react, however, the door flew open. “Ibara-chan, what’s wrong?!” Ochako asked… only for her face to glow bright red at what she saw. Ibara lying on top of Izuku, his DRAGON in plain view!

“ **KKKYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!** "

 

* * *

 

One _horribly_ awkward night later, outside of Musutafu was a mountain, and beyond that mountain was a private villa that was owned by the Gremory family. It oversaw a wide field that was perfect for training purposes. While either Rias or Mizu could have just teleported the ORC to the villa, the peerage and sorcerer simply hiked there as a means to increase their strength and stamina. Mizu wasn’t carrying any lugged, say she didn’t need anything, while Rias, Momo, and Ibara’s luggage was not very heavy, but most of the gear has been assigned to Izuku, Ochako, Yuuto, and Koneko.

“I know we’re gonna stay here for the next ten days…” Izuku huffed, struggling slightly with his part of the luggage, “But is all this luggage really necessary?”

“Actually, the baggage you’re carrying weighs around 40 kg each,” Rias replied, looking back at him over her shoulder, “Can’t have you slacking off, you know.”

“Huh?! That’s all the weight I’m carrying?!” Izuku exclaimed, exasperated.

“Oh, suck it up,” Koneko said, walking past him with her share of the luggage. Koneko’s luggage appeared to be about the size of a car, and yet, despite her small size, the white-haired girl wasn’t struggling at all.

“This isn’t so bad,” Ochako said as she walked past also, carrying luggage that was the same size, if a little smaller, then Koneko’s. She was a Rook after all.

Yuuto’s baggage was slightly smaller than Izuku’s, so he had an easier time. It helped that, while Knights were normal frail, they had strong legs. He glanced at Izuku as his friend almost stumbled on the stone steps that led to the villa. “Hey, Izuku-kun. You alright? You look like you’re having some trouble.”

“I can… manage…” Izuku huffed, looking pained.

“Just hang in there, Izuku. We’re almost there,” Rias said, “Just a few steps more.” Sure enough, their destination came into view. “We’re here.” It was a two-story complex with white and beige walls with blue floor tiles, balconies on all sides, trimmed bushes, with white-steel window frames for each window frame. There was a tunnel-like driveway on the left-hand side that leads around the back where there was likely a garage.

“It’s so beautiful,” Ibara gushed at the sight of the villa.

“Your family gave you such a big place like this just for training?” Ochako asked, looking at the place in awe, “They must be seriously rich!”

“Oh, this? It really isn’t that much compared to my home. You’ll get to see it eventually,” Rias said, almost boasting. “Now everyone, your names have been posted on the doors, so once you find them get changed and unpack. We will start training once everyone is ready.”

“Yes, ma’am!” everyone obeyed.

 

* * *

 

After cleaning up the house to clear out the dust that piled from the time it wasn’t in use, everyone went into their respective rooms to change in their gym and tracksuit clothing. After that was taken care of, Mizu instructed them to meet outside for sparing sessions, saying it be a good way for her to judge where they all need to improve. Yuuto was first, standing some distance away from Mizu, each holding wooden practice swords called bokken, each magically enhanced to withstand hard impacts that would normally cause the wood to break.

“Don’t hold back, Kiba,” Mizu said. Her confidence sure wasn’t lacking, as the sorcerer’s grin could rival All Might’s.

Standing by were Rias, Momo, Ibara, Ochako, Izuku, and Koneko. “Mizu-oneechan sure looks confident,” Ochako said.

“I know Yuuto-san is good with a sword, but I don’t think he can beat Mizu-san,” said Ibara, Izuku nodding in agreement.

“I’m sure Yuuto’s got this,” Rias nodded. She rose her hand into the air. “Alright, are you both ready?”

Yuuto took a stance, while Mizu simply raised her bamboo sword, “Ready!”

She swung her hand down, “Begin!”

Yuuto moved in a quick dash, his speed rendering him near invisible. As soon as he reappeared at Mizu’s face and moved the wooden sword at the sorcerer’s neck. But Mizu raised her sword and blocked the Knight’s attack. Jumping back, Yuuto charged again with another strike, a stab this time. Mizu parried the blade and went onto an offensive on his own thrusting his sword downward. That attack came too quickly for the blonde to do a counter strike, being forced back by several meters.

Rias looked on in surprise. She was expecting Mizu’s swordsmanship to be good, but so far she hadn’t even moved from her spot and was holding her own against her Knight. No, it seemed as if Mizu was holding back, given she was only using one hand so far.

Yuuto seemed to smirk, enjoying the challenge coming from the fight. He decided to release his restraints just a little more, running all over the place as he zipped all around Mizu. Mizu didn’t even bother to keep track of Yuuto’s movements though as the Knight appeared at her side and swung for an attack. Quickly, Mizu blocked it with the bokken and counterattacked, aiming her bokken for Yuuto’s legs. The Knight didn’t have time to properly react, the bokken knocking him off-balance. He didn’t have a chance to get up either as Mizu aimed her bokken at his neck.

“Not bad,” Mizu offers a hand to Yuuto, who accepted. “Tennen Rishin-ryū, right?”

“Yes,” Yuuto answered. “I was taught that and kenjutsu by my master.”

“Sirzech’s Knight,” Mizu said to herself.

“Mizu-oneechan, you were amazing!” Ochako gushed, “You too, Yuuto-kun!”

“That was far more one-sided than what I was expecting,” Rias said.

“You still have plenty of room to improve,” Mizu lectured. “Your speed is your greatest advantage, but it may also be your greatest weakness. You have a tendency to charge in then fall back, a predictable strategy. And if an opponent can match or even surpass that speed, all they need is one good hit and the fight’s over,” Mizu then turned her attention to everyone else.

“That’s true for each of you. I noticed that, as a whole, you all rely too much on overpowering your opponents. That Smash Midoriya used during the exams against the Zero-Pointer is a good example. Yes, it’s good for when you’re in a bind, but what happens if you miss? What happens if your opponent is stronger? Now that you’re weak and tired, they can easily finish you off. Remember the fights you had against those villains and the Port Mafia? If any of them were taking it seriously, I doubt you’d all still be here.”

Everyone in the Gremory peerage clenched their fists, remembering those fights well. “What do you suggest?” Rias asked.

“For now, we focus on broadening your skills and strengths. Kiba, I’ll let you borrow this,” Mizu tossed the Yukinoha at Yuuto, who caught it with a fumble.

Yuuto stared at the Yukinoha, then at Mizu, then Yukinoha again, then back at Mizu. “You’re… letting me borrow a Kamar-Taj relic?” He asked in disbelief.

“She took quite the dislike for Riser, so she’s willing to help,” Mizu explained. “Practice with her, along with any Demonic Swords that can cancel out flames for the rest of the day. At least then you’ll have an advantaged. Tomorrow you’ll be doing hand-to-hand with me.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Yuuto bowed.

The sorcerer then looked to Izuku. “Midoriya, you’re up.”

“R-right!” Izuku stepped forward as Yuuto joined the others.

“Arguably, as a Pawn, your training will be the hardest out of everyone's. You’re the most versatile of the group, as such there’s a lot of room for improvement.” Mizu tossed him the bokken Yuuto was using. “Depending on what you promote yourself to could change the entire outcome of a fight, Rating Game or not. So, you ready?”

Izuku nodded. “Yeah.”

“Good. But first… Ddraig, can you hear us?”

**[Of course, I can hear you.]**

Most of the Gremory group jumped in shock. “Did Izu-kun’s hand just talked?!” Ochako asked.

“It did!” Yuuto confirmed.

“You could’ve talked to me like that this whole time?!” Izuku asked his hand. Specifically, the glowing green gem that had appeared on it.

**[Only recently, as I explained when we first met.]**

“Everyone, met the Welsh Dragon, Ddraig.” Said Mizu. “Or at least his spirit that dwells within Midoriya’s Sacred Gear.”

“The Red Dragon Emperor,” Rias muttered in awe.

“Ddraig, I want you to make sure Izuku won’t be able to use his Boosted Gear for this,” Mizu instructed.

 **[Ah, I see what you’re planing.]** Ddraig replied. **[Very well.]**

“W-wait, what are you up to?” Izuku nervously asked.

Mizu drew her bokken. “Just want to test something. Now then, Midoriya, try to use Dragon Force.”

“Without my Boosted Gear?”

“You won’t need it,” Mizu smiled as she took a stance. “By the way, this will be a trial by fire, starting NOW!” In a split second, Mizu was on top of Izuku and swung for an attack. Quickly, Izuku blocked it with the bokken but MIzu’s blow easily knocked him back several feet.

Stumbling to regain his footing, Izuku struggled to stay on the defensive against Mizu, who continuously swung her bokken hard and fast. Ibara, Ochako, and the others watched in worry as Mizu continued her assault against Izuku. _‘I can’t keep this up! How am I suppose to use Dragon Force without my Boosted Gear! Come on, think!’_ As he continued to block and avoid Mizu’s strikes, a thought occurred. _‘Wait… when I first used Dragon Force, I didn’t notice any change until the others pointed it out. Maybe I should just… let it happen…’_

Closing his eyes, Izuku relaxed as Mizu swung another attack. Suddenly, Izuku jumped into the air and stayed there as Mizu’s attack missed. The ORC looked on in surprise at seeing Izuku successfully using Dragon Force without the Boosted Gear.

Unlike before, the scales were no longer red. Instead, they were an emerald green. The stubby horns on his head had also grown, now being about two inches long and were both black. Izuku hesitantly opened his eyes and looked himself over. “I-I did it!” He exclaimed.

Mizu smiled. “Like I thought.”

“Huh?”

Mizu continued as Izuku landed back on the ground. “See, when we met I noticed something, so I decided to look into your family history,” Mizu shook her head as if she was in disbelief. “Turns out, on your father’s side, you have an… interesting relative.”

“Interesting how?” Ibara asked.

“Wait…” Rias exclaimed, having realized what Mizu was saying. “Are you suggesting that…”

“Yep.”

“What’re you guys talking about?” Ochako asked.

Rias nearly slapped herself. “I knew something was off when we met, but I had assumed it was his Boosted Gear, but this…”

“What’s going on? What are you saying?” Izuku asked.

“Ddraig, did you knew about…?”

 **[I did, Gremory.]** The dragon within Izuku’s Sacred Gear answered. **[I’m just disappointed that both he and all of you took this long to figure it out. I mean, the Familiar Master gave you a big clue.]**

“The Familiar Master?” Suddenly the gears began to turn in Izuku’s mind when he recalled what the Familiar Master had said. “Wait… You mean to say… I’M PART DRAGON!?”

Ochako’s eyes grew wide in shock. “No way…! Izu-kun’s a dragon?!”

“Seriously? How didn’t we notice?” Yuuto asked, just as shocked as the others. Even Koneko had a look of surprise.

“Easily, since his dragon heritage isn’t that big,” Mizu clarified.

**[She’s right. If I had to guess you’re at least 1/16th dragon. The reason the rest of you didn’t notice before is because it hadn’t awakened yet.]**

“Is it true, Izuku-san? Are you really a dragon?” Ibara asked. “You mentioned that your father’s Quirk lets him breathe fire like a dragon, so does he know?”

“Um… Probably? I don’t really have much of a chance to talk to him often, let alone know about my other relatives or my family history. It’s really been only me and my Mom since Dad works overseas to support us, and I don’t really remember what kind of Quirks my grandparents had. It could also be possible that I have an ancestor that had a dragon Quirk, but I can’t say for sure…” Izuku said in an unsure tone before cupping his chin with his hand and began mumbling about the possible Quirks his family could have had, causing the others to stare at him with sweat-drops on their heads.

“…You had to get him going, didn’t you Ibara-san?” Momo said with a soft chuckle as she watched Ochako shake Izuku’s shoulder to snap him out of his mumbling spree.

“He does that often?” Mizu asked, slightly creeped out by Izuku’s mumbling.

“From time to time,” Rias answered.

“But why did Izuku-kun’s dragon heritage only come to light now?” Yuuto asked.

“It might be because of the Boosted Gear,” Mizu said. “Since he’s mostly human, his dragon half needed a catalyst to awaken. The energy from the Boosted Gear acted as that catalyst. Think of it as like a belated puberty.”

“So that’s why he started growing horns!” Ochako realized.

“Wait, Izu-kun began growing horns?” Rias asked.

“…I knew we forgot to tell you something,” Ibara sheepishly mutters while Ochako chuckled nervously.

“We’ll discuss the details of Dragon Izuku later,” Mizu said. “Midoriya, your real training starts tomorrow, so get some sleep tonight.”

“H-hai!”

 

* * *

 

The rest of the day was spent with Mizu sparing with the rest of the ORC. She gave Koneko advise on how to avoid faster opponents and offers to teach her some boxing and Muay Thai later. For Momo, Ochako, and Rias she taught them some more effective use of their magic, such as using simple illusions to hide and mislead opponents.

As the sun began to set it was decided to end the day there, but Mizu wanted some more time to train with Momo, saying it was important. “You wanted to speak with me, Mizu-sama?” Momo asked once everyone else entered the house.

“Yes. It’s about your lightning ‘Quirk’,” Momo didn’t fail to catch the emphasis at the end.

“W-what about it?” The young devil tentatively asked.

“Stop hiding. I know for a fact that your lightning isn’t a Quirk.”

Momo visibly blanched. “How-”

“I worked with your father once, about a year ago,” Mizu answered. “I know that lightning anywhere. And I’m sure he won’t be happy when he finds out that-”

“STOP TALKING ABOUT THAT MAN!” Momo yelled. It was so unexpected that Mizu took a step back in fright. “I… I don’t want anything to do what him.”

“…You’re afraid, aren’t you? Afraid that if the others find out they’ll reject you?” Mizu asked.

Momo didn’t answer.

“They’ll find out eventually.” Mizu placed a hand on Momo’s shoulder. “I’ll keep this secret until you’re ready to tell.”

“…What does this have anything to do with Riser?”

“Because you can do a lot more than simply shoot lightning,” Mizu answered. “Since you have to be smart to successfully use your actual Quirk, I’m sure the thought of using your ability to control lightning to control electromagnetism had crossed your mind once or twice.”

Momo nodded.

“Well, along with teaching you magic, we’ll be focusing on that.”

 

* * *

 

The first day of training came to a close and after a hearty dinner that Rias prepared, the peerage retreated to the villa’s bathhouse. The bathhouse, of course, was separated by a large wall. The girls pampered themselves on one side of the bath, while Izuku and Yuuto were washing off the grime from their bodies in the other end of the bath. Izuku leaned on the rim of the bath while Yuuto was scrubbing his hair with shampoo.

“Oh, wow,” Izuku sighed blissfully, basking in the warm waters of the bath, “I don’t even remember the last time I was in a bath like this.”

“A nice bath always helps you relax after a long day of training,” Yuuto added. Sighing deeply, he gave a friendly smile. “You know, this is actually the first time you and I have spoken casually to each other like this. Without the ladies around anyway.”

“Come to think of it, you’re right,” Izuku nodded, realization dawning on him. “We never really did have much of a chance to take these past few months.”

“Yeah. But I’m still in shock about you being part dragon,” Yuuto simply laughed as Izuku shook his head.

“I’m still in shock, too,” Izuku chuckled nervously. “I’m worried what Mizu-sama has planned for me tomorrow.”

“I’m sure you can handle it,” Yuuto reassured. “It’ll probably be easier than what Buchou has in store with me. Not only do I have to practice with the Yukinoha, but she wants me to practice while using my Quirk.”

Izuku’s attention was caught by this. “What is your Quirk, Yuuto-san?”

“Nothing special, really. I can alter my center of gravity, so I can walk on walls and ceilings,” Yuuto explained, placing his hand on the wall, soon lifting his own body before he stood on the wall, sticking to it with ease. “The downside is that it has to be a flat surface and at least part of my body needs to stay in contact.”

Izuku watched in fascination. “That’s amazing! I can see plenty of ways that can be useful for the Rating Game.”

“I agree, it has come in handy plenty of times before,” Yuuto’s look turned solemn.

“…Yuuto?”

“It’s nothing,” Yuuto said, smiling.

 

* * *

 

“Ah~! It’s been too long since I soaked in an onsen,” Mizu said with a contented sigh as she stretched out in the hot, mineral-rich water.

“I wish Kyoka could’ve gone with us,” said Momo as she rested in the water. “She would enjoy this.” _‘And not just because of the view,’_ she silently added.

“After a long day like today, I so~ needed this!” Ochako moaned in bliss.

Koneko sat on the edge of the bath, eating a candy bar she snuck in. Though she occasionally looked on in jealousy at the larger busts of the other girls.

“This is nice,” Ibara let herself sink into the waters.

“So Mizu, what do you have planned for tomorrow?” Rias asked.

“It’s a secret,” Mizu teased. Rias was about to protest when she saw a large scar on Mizu’s abdomen. It was long and diagonal, reaching from her waist to below her breasts.

“That’s a nasty scar,” Rias said.

Mizu looked down and rubbed a hand against it. “This? I had it for a couple of years,” she said, her voice having a solemn tone to it. “I got it when my hero career ended.”

Rias flinched. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. That’s in the past now,” Mizu smiled. _‘And I’m determined to not let history repeat itself with them.’_

 

* * *

 

The next day, the ORC gathers outside the villa, Mizu standing up in front. “Today is where the real training begins,” Mizu said. “First off, Midoriya. Your trainer should be here soon.”

“Trainer?” Izuku couldn’t ask anything else when they heard the sound of heavy flapping above them. They all looked up as a large shadow appeared in front of the sun and grew larger as the mysterious object approached them.

The large object as it landed not far from them with a dull ‘THUD’ and furled his huge wings behind his back. It stood at a towering fifty feet tall, its body mainly covered in dark purple, draconic scales with the exception of its lower body, including its belly, inner portions of its legs and its long tail, which were beige in color. Protruding from its triangular head was a pair of large yellow horns along with a pair of red eyes which glared down at them maliciously. His claws ended with long sharp, yellow nails, and large bat-like wings which protruded from its back. It also wore a loincloth and black pauldrons which extended down to its elbows.

“A dragon?!” Izuku screeched.

“Thanks for coming, Tannin,” Mizu calmly greeted the dragon.

“Tannin!?” Rias gasped. “How the hell did you get the Blaze Meteor Dragon to come here?!”

“I pulled some strings. He’ll be Midoriya’s teacher for a little bit.”

 **“It’s been a long time since I last visited the human world,”** Tannin said, his powerful voice echoing. **“But it’s been even longer since we last spoke, Ddraig.”**

 **[Too true.]** Ddraig said, a little eager to speak with a fellow dragon. **[It’s good to see you, Tannin.]**

“You know him?” Izuku asked.

**[Yes. Tannin was once a Dragon King until he willingly became a devil.]**

“Even among reincarnated devils, he’s well known for being an Ultimate-Class,” Rias added.

“A devil dragon…” Ochako muttered. “That’s… terrifying…”

Tannin bent down and sniffed the Ari around Izuku, making the boy flinch. **“Even though it’s small, I can smell the dragon blood within him,”** Tannin noted.

“That’s part of the reason you’re here,” Mizu then looked to Izuku. “Alright Midoriya, you and Tannin will spend the next hour in a special training area,” Mizu rotated her arm in a circular motion, creating a large rift big enough to fit Tannin. “Once there you’ll be training for about a month.”

“Huh?”

“See, where you’re going time moves about 730 times faster than here. So an hour here will be 730 hours, or about one month, there.”

Tannin then picked up Izuku by his shirt. “Hey! Slow down!”

“Wait, if time moves faster there then why aren’t we all going?” Rias asked.

“Because access is restricted,” Mizu answered. “Only about 4 people are allowed at any given time.” She then turned to Tannin. “You’ve got about a month to help train Midoriya. During that time, I want you to strengthen his body and mind through rigorous training to get a better handle on his dragon abilities. As well as this, I expect him to strengthen his Sacred Gear also. And be sure to give him a break every six days. We don’t want to kill the boy.”

**“So torture him? Understood.”**

“Wait, WHAT?!” Izuku screamed as Tannin stepped through the rift. “Don’t I get a say in-”

The rift closed.

“Uh… will Izuku-san be okay?” Ibara asked.

“He’ll be fine,” Mizu reassured.

 

* * *

 

The next twenty minutes were spent with Mizu sparing with Koneko. Koneko lunged forward with her fist rearing for a punch, and Mizu went in with her leg over her leg. Mizu was currently teaching Koneko how to avoid certain attacks, which can make it easier for the Rook to counterattack.

Rias and the others watch as Mizu demonstrated this by having Koneko lunged forward with her fist rearing for a punch, only for Mizu to sidestep, grab Koneko’s arm, and toss her through the air. “Just because you’re a Rook doesn’t mean you should take every hit thrown at you,” Mizu told her as Koneko landed.

“How do you know so many martial arts?” Rias asked.

“I had two really great teachers,” Mizu answered. “I used to intern with Yoroi Musha before I opened my agency, and he taught me plenty about sword fighting. When I joined Kamar-Taj I was taught a whole bunch of martial arts like kung fu, Muay Thai, and the like by Jack.”

“Jack?”

“Yeah. He’s a samurai, though no one knows his real name, so everyone just calls him Jack.”

“How do you think Izu-kun is doing?” Ochako asked.

 

* * *

 

**BOOOOOOOOOMMM!**

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!” Izuku bellowed as he was launched backwards from the large explosion which detonated in front of him, sending him soaring through the air where he landed on the face of a large rock which knocked the wind out of him. He groaned in pain as he slowly slid down the rock and fell onto his hands and knees.

“Ow…” he grumbled as he wiped the soot off his face before proceeding to wipe the sweat which had developed over the course of the day where it seemed like he had been running non-stop. When he looked back on today's training and then up at the darkening sky, he quickly realized that he _had_ been running all day.

 **[You’ve managed to make some improvement today.]** Ddraig said with a slight chuckle.

 **“You have gotten a good grasp of your dragon heritage. Now we just need to focus on your Sacred Gear,”** said Tannin. **“We have nearly spent half of our time here, so maybe I should crank up the firepower.”**

“Huh?”

When Izuku saw Tannin preparing another attack, he spread his wings and flew as fast as he could.

 

* * *

 

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Mizu reassured.

 

* * *

 

Izuku drank the water from the stream near his camp, the cold liquid cooling his body after a long day of training. Which consisted of running like hell from Tannin’s attacks. Once he finished he looked at his reflection in the water and saw the physical effects of his extensive training regime. The turquoise jersey his mother had given him was completely ruined, reduced to shredded fabric after only a few days into the training. The white shirt lying on the ground beside him wasn’t much better, though somehow it was still able to cover his torso. As he looked at his bare chest, Izuku noticed that he had burned off what little fat he had, leaving his chest sturdy and muscular, and his stomach toned. Even his arms had benefitted from the training in that they had become very muscular as a result. The horns he had on his head had grown now. Before they were barely noticeable. Now they were at least two inches long. His eyes were different now, too, his pupils having noticeable slits.

“So this is what happens when you train with a former Dragon King?” Izuku asked himself as he inspected his new body.

 **[You should be proud, kid.]** Ddraig stated, his gem glowing on Izuku’s right hand as he spoke. **[Tannin is notorious for his unique style of training. You've done well to survive it.]**

“Thanks,” Izuku replied as he put his shirt back on and headed back to his camp. “I’m just glad this is the last night. It’s been about a month, but it feels weird knowing that I’ve really only been gone for about an hour.”

 **[It certainly is strange.]** Ddraig commented. **[The sorcerers of Kamar-Taj are full of surprises.]**

Izuku gathered some wood and placed them in the fire he had made earlier. The warmth from the flames helped him relax. “I know this much, when we get back my body is going to ache for months,” Izuku added with a groan.

 **[Don’t worry. I’m sure the Gremory will be giving you new aches to worry about.]** Ddraig said with a chuckle, causing Izuku to sweat-drop.

 

* * *

 

Izuku had never been happier to see anything as he was to see the Gremory villa on the other side of the rift. Riding atop Tannin’s back, Izuku shield as the huge dragon landed in front of the villa, the rest of the ORC watching. He jumped off Tannin’s back, sprouting his green, dragon wings to slow his descent to the ground.

As he landed on the gravel covering the courtyard, Izuku looked down at his hand which held the only thing he had brought back from his time in the forest and mountains, the tattered remains of his jersey. It was totally destroyed over the course of his training camp, being little more than strips of fabric now, largely charred thanks to Tannin and his fireball attacks.

“Izu-kun! You look so different now,” said Ochako, she and Ibara admiring the muscle Izuku had developed.

“I take it that the training with Tannin went well?” Rias asked, though she too was secretly admiring Izuku’s new muscles.

Izuku, though a little nervous about all the stares the girls were giving him, smiled and answered. “I somehow made it through.”

“Thanks for the help, Tannin,” Mizu said to the dragon-turned-devil.

 **“You’re welcome, Sorceress Mizushima,”** Tannin replied. **“I’ll be taking my leave now. I look forward to the Rating Game.”** With a massive flap of his wings, Tannin took to the air, quickly rising into the sky before disappearing into a magic circle.

“Now then,” Rias called, “let’s get back to training.”

 

* * *

 

Eight days into the training camp (well, longer for Izuku) and everyone was showing signs of improvement. Ibara, even though she could easily defend herself with her vines, had leaned several defensive spells from Mizu. Yuuto’s speed managed to increase, while his proficiency with the Yukinoha had improved, despite the blade’s stubborn personality. Koneko managed to become more swift and agile despite her Rook attributes limiting her speed, while Ochako had better mastered her Rook strength, even applying it to some of her spells.

Momo had managed to become more versed in her electricity, having found many ways to manipulate the elements easily. As for Rias, even she managed to find variable and efficient ways to use her Power of Destruction. Everyone had improved over the course of the week, and they were all just about ready to face off against Riser and his battle harem.

That night after everyone else had gone to sleep, Izuku sat in the living room, checking the Hero News. No mention of All Might teaching at U.A. yet, while Ryukyu helped take down a Quirk trafficking ring. He was also going over his notes, reviewing and adding to them whenever he could during the whole training camp. He was so focused on them that he failed to notice someone walk into the room.

“Izu? What are you doing?” The voice of their leader broke him out of his concentration.

“Huh? Oh! I’m just checking the Hero News and looking over my notes is all,” Izuku turned to look at Rias. As soon as he caught sight of her, he blushed and turned away.

Why? She was wearing a pink see-through nightgown that gave him a vague look of what she had underneath. Not to mention that she also had on a set of red glasses over her eyes, a candlelight and a book under her arm.

If Rias noticed his reaction, she didn’t show it. She simply sat the candlelight on the coffee table before them and plopped down on the couch next to him. “Any interesting hero stories tonight?”

Blushing beet red, Izuku tried not to stutter, “W-well, Ryukyu helped take down a Quirk trafficking ring.”

“Hm, that dragon sure has been busy lately.”

“I guess…” Izuku nodded, feeling uncomfortable with how close she was to him, how he could feel her warm breath brushing against his face. Daring himself to look at her, he blinked as he saw the glasses. They actually made her look… cute. “I didn’t know you wore glasses.”

“These?” Rias said, fidgeting with her eyewear as she backed up, “They’re just for show. They help me think more clearly. Goes to show just much time I've spent here in the human world,” she giggled slightly. “I still need to find more information on the Phenex clan, so I thought I’d get some extra time to study up.”

“Oh…” Izuku could only say. “If you don’t mind me changing the subject, why are you so against marriage? I mean, I can see why you wouldn’t want to marry someone like Riser, but why marriage in general? Is it something personal?”

“No, Izuku,” Rias answered, “I’m not against marriage. In fact, I would rather find someone that I myself approve of. Rather, this whole thing came about because I am a Gremory.”

“Huh?”

Rias gazed out the window, looking at the moonlight from the crescent moon. Izuku blinked as his eyes widened slightly, feeling as if the light of the moon and her longing posture seemed to make her appear as an unforeseen goddess.

“Back home, everyone only sees me as Rias of Gremory instead of myself. While it is flattering to have men attracted to me and I am proud to call myself a Gremory, they only view me as a trophy rather than my own person. Riser is just one of many men who view me as such. Not once did he ever listen to me or took interest in my likes. All I heard from him was how I’m going to be his, and how I am already his. And it only got worst after his brother disappeared. It was so depressing. It was part of the reason why I wanted to stay in the human world. Here, I’m free to act as myself and everyone sees me as simply Rias.” She turned back to Izuku with longing sadness in her eyes, “I just want to have someone who loves me for me. Someone who can laugh and cry with me. Someone that I can call my own. That isn’t too much to ask, is it?”

Izuku slowly smiled and shook his head, “It’s not. And… I think everyone wants to fall in love with someone, right?”

Rias smiled. “You’re right.” Rias then noticed a slightly burned notebook resting on the coffee table. Curiously, she picked up the notebook before Izuku could react. “Oh, what’s this? ‘Hero Analysis for the Future No. 13’?”

Izuku winced. “A-Ah, that’s-”

“Wow, you wrote all this?” Rias asked, skimming through the pages. “I knew you liked heroes, especially All Might, but this takes it to the next level.”

Izuku blushed at that, looking down in embarrassment as he rubbed his head. “W-Well, that’s…”

“Oh~ What’s this? Mount Lady is ‘sexy’, is she?” Rias said, her tone hiding none of her amusement. “Now we know you’re into taller girls, huh?”

“W-Wait, you’re misunderstanding!” Izuku waved his arms sporadically. “Y-You see, at that time, Mount Lady was a brand new Hero on the scene! I watched her help Kamui Woods and several other Heroes take down a villain rampaging through town. She ended up dealing the final hit and um… made a point to… flaunt her assets…” He coughed, trying not to sound demeaning. “I-It’s not unusual for some Heroes to use their looks to their advantage, man or woman. Mount Lady was definitely trying to get that sort of attention when making her debut.”

“I’m only half-convinced because it’s you saying this. Just don’t let Koneko see this, you naughty boy.”

Izuku let his head hang, refusing to offer her the dignity of a response.

“Still… I have to admit, these notes you took are quite impressive,” Rias continued, causing Izuku to look back at her again. “I get that you’re a fanboy, but I have to ask… why take notes on so many different Heroes? I know that you admire All Might the most, but you’ve got a whole catalog of Heroes in here.”

Izuku gave a nostalgic smile, reaching down and grabbing a notebook, holding it up and flipping through the pages. “Because… I thought that maybe if I could figure out how so many different Heroes made it… How their strengths worked and how I might be able to use them to my own advantage… I’d be able to get into U.A.”

Izuku closed the book, gazing at the charred, crinkled cover with a gentle expression. “I thought if I just worked hard enough and studied hard enough, I could make it, even without a Quirk. But now that I think back, it really wasn’t in the cards for me, huh? Not without knowing about my Boosted Gear.” His eyes trailed over to Rias. “Then I met you, Yuuto-san, Koneko-chan, and everyone else. I have the chance now, thanks to you. I’m really glad that we met.”

Izuku then grabbed his book bag from the coffee table and pulled out a bundle of notebooks. “There’s… something I want to show you.” He undid the strap and pulled out a notebook at the center, turning around with a sheepish expression.

“I was… sort of hiding this because I was kind of embarrassed, and it slipped my mind after training with Tannin-sama, but I think now’s a good a time as any to show you.” Izuku held out the notebook in his hand, handing it to Rias to read.

“…‘Devil, Angel, and Other Supernatural Analysis for the Present No. 1’…” Rias read aloud, slowly pulling the cover back to read through the pages.

“I made sure to include everyone’s abilities in there and what their strengths and weaknesses are! Not to mention I made note of all the people and stray devils we’ve fought, like Raynare and Chuuya!” Izuku explained with a glint in his eyes, watching as Rias looked through it in stunned silence. “I even have a couple of ideas on how everyone can improve!”

“Izuku, this is… amazing…” Rias mumbled, looking back up at the green-haired teen. “You didn’t have to do all of this.”

“I wanted to. I’m your Pawn now. And like you said, we’re all family.” Rias nodded with a knowing smile, “We’re in this together. Me, Ibara-san, Momo-san, Koneko-chan, Yuuto-san, and Ochako-san. We don’t want you marrying Riser anymore than you do. We’ll all do our best.”

Rias smiled wider, “Izu… come’er,” she reached her arms around him and pulled him into a hug, resting her head against her pillow-like chest.

“Erm… Buchou… what are you-?” Izuku whispered, blushing.

“Shh… let’s stay like this for a while,” Rias whispered, nuzzling her face against his hair. Izuku slowly nodded as he relaxed in his master's grip, feeling a little more comfort in her arms. “Hey… Izuku?”

“Yeah?”

“I… I’m glad we met, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap! I think this is the longest chapter yet!
> 
> C’mon! Izuku’s dad has a Quirk that lets him breathe fire. LIKE A DRAGON! It was too good of an opportunity to pass up on. And no, he’s not aware either.


	17. Before the Game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up, this chapter will mostly be a breather before the Rating Game with fun antics.

 

Ten days of training later, Izuku, in his green jinbei and gray sweatpants, sat at his desk in his room, watching a video feed of Riser’s previous Rating Games. Their Rating Game with him won’t start until midnight, so Rias had decided to use the last day for everyone to rest and get ready. They were all to meet up in the clubroom within 15 minutes before the game started. During that time Rias had instructed Izuku to watch these past battles to come up with a strategy.

Izuku watched intently as Riser’s Queen took down her opponent with ease, writing down everything he saw. “No wonder she’s called the Bomb Queen. She can create explosions that can take out even Rooks. They’re different from Kacchan’s, though. Is it magic or because of a Quirk? Either way, the only ones among us who may have a chance of beating her are me, Buchou, and Momo. Anyone else won’t be able to handle multiple hits like that.”

As he continued to watch, Izuku did notice something about Riser. With the exception of the Rating Game’s he purposely lost in, Riser always hung back to let his servants do most of the fighting, only ever fighting himself when either the opposing King began fighting or when most of his peerage was defeated, relying on his regeneration to win him the game. It was a good strategy, one Izuku and the others would have a hard time dealing with since they’re outnumbered.

_‘As far as I can tell the biggest threats are Riser and his Queen. We can take out the rest of his servants easily, and if we can take out his Queen he won’t have any backup. But even then, it won’t be easy.’_ With a sigh, Izuku leaned back. _‘But we can’t afford to lose. Everyone trained so hard for this. I won’t let them down.’_

“Still thinking of a strategy?” Izuku looked up at Ochako’s voice.

“Oh, Ocha-” Izuku flinched at what he saw. “WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE?!” He yelled out in shock as Ochako’s face was indeed not looking like its usual self.

“My face? Oh, it’s just my nerves… Must’ve reached my face.” Ochako said, her voice not having the usual bubbly tone.

Izuku nodded. “Me too.”

They both have a good idea about what’ll happen to them if they lost against Riser.

“By the way, where’s Ibara?” Ochako asked.

“Right here.” The two turned to see the door to the room opening, with Ibara stepping inside. Instead of her usual clothes, she was dressed in a white robe.

“Oh, nice robes, Ibara.” Said Ochako.

“Thank you,” the vine-haired girl replied. “These actually use to be my old church clothes.”

“Really?” Izuku asked. “But why…?”

“Oh, w-well… Buchou said that I can pick any outfit that I’m most comfortable in,” Ibara said, fiddling with her fingers shyly, “So I picked this one. I know. It’s ironic since I’m a devil now and can no longer serve the Lord.”

“I think it looks good on you,” Izuku said quickly. He blushed and covered his mouth as he realized what he just said. “I… um…”

Ibara blinked, but smiled softly at his compliment, “Thank you. I’m actually planning to use this as my hero costume, also.”

Izuku and Ochako couldn’t help but smile that, despite the church abandoning her, Ibara has yet to truly abandon God’s teachings. “That reminds me… we need to head to city hall to get copies of our Quirk Registers for the clothing allowance,” said Ochako.

“Ah that’s right,” Izuku said. “Because of Riser I complete forgot about it. But, wait… I’m registered as Quirkless.”

“Oh, right. That could be a problem,” Ochako muttered.

“We can worry about that later,” Izuku suggested. “We still have Riser to deal with.”

The two girls nodded. “By the way, when do you think Inko-san will be returning?” Ibara asked.

“She didn’t say, only that she’ll be shopping for a bit,” Izuku answered.

Ochako’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Hey, maybe we can go shopping too!” Izuku and Ibara looked at her curiously. “So we can get our minds off the Rating Game for a bit.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” said Ibara. “I’ve only ever been shopping with Inko-san before, so this should be fun. What do you think, Izuku-san?”

“Oh, I, uh, if you guys want to go then sure.”

“Is something wrong?” Ibara asked, she and Ochako both very worried.

“N-nothing’s w-wrong, it’s just…” Izuku trailed off, bad memories beginning to come back. “The last time I went shopping with a girl… I died.”

Both girls let out a small gasp, eyes wide in shock. They understood what he meant by that. “Raynare…” Ibara hissed.

The three stayed silent for a moment before Ochako spoke back up. “I’m sorry for bringing it up…”

“It’s okay,” Izuku reassured. “We can go if you want.”

“Good!” Ochako beamed a bright smile. “Because I noticed that your wardrobe is rather plain.”

“Eh?”

“That’s right,” Ibara nodded. “When I help Inko-san with the laundry, I notice that Izuku-san’s clothes all look the same.”

“Hold on, I-”

“Then it’s settled!” Ochako exclaimed. “We’ll get change and head for Wookiees right away! You’re gonna have to model, though.”

“Wait, what?!”

“Sorry, Izu-kun but you’ll thank us when this is over. Besides, I’ve been meaning to go shopping anyway.” Ochako smiled. “This’ll be my way of thanking you for the excuse.”

As the two teenage girls left to get change, Izuku could only sit there dumbfounded by what just happened.

_‘What did I get myself into?!’_

[Get use to it. This will probably happen a lot.]

 

* * *

 

Not long after, and the three teens arrived at the shopping mall. It hadn’t changed much from when Izuku last visited. This didn’t ease him in the slightest, memories of Raynare killing him flashing back as he shakily stood outside the entrance.

“Are you going to be okay?” Ibara asked, having replaced her robes with a dark blue dress with light blue accents.

“Yeah,” Izuku nodded. He had on a play white shirt with the words ’t-shit’ written on it and jeans.

Ochako, who had on a yellow shirt, white shorts, and black stockings, grabbed his hand. “Then what are we waiting for?” She asked as Ibara grabbed Izuku’s other hand.

The two girls then dragged him into the mall, Izuku frantically telling them to slow down a little.

In spite of the bad memories brought by going shopping with the girls, Izuku soon found himself enjoying it. That is until Ochako and Ibara became dead set on adding to his wardrobe. Subjected to two hours of being a living doll, forced to try and retry outfits until the girls were satisfied, Izuku began to truly know despair. What made matters worse is that they clearly enjoyed it, especially when they made him try on swimsuits.

It wasn’t long until Izuku noticed something else, something that greatly unnerved him. As Ochako and Ibara continued to let him model many of the latest fashions, enjoying it a little too much, Izuku was also subjected to the stares, gazes, and wanton looks of nearly every other girl in his vicinity.

_‘Ddraig, this is freaking me out! Help me!’_

The dragon seemed amused at his suffering. [It’s both a part of who and what you are. Each of my wielders has had no difficulty in attracting potential suitors of their own preference. Additionally, you’re the first of my hosts to be part dragon, and that only makes the attraction stronger. You’re an apex predator; each of these girls instinctively sees you as an ideal mate to ensure their safety and that of their offspring. You’ll likely have a harem by the years' end.]

_‘YOU’RE KIDDING ME?!’_

[I wish I was.] Ddraig now sounded rather smug. [I always enjoy seeing how my hosts react when they learn that detail. Now, if you’re done asking questions, put a shirt on. The girls are drooling.]

Izuku shook his head to clear his thoughts and found that Ddraig was right; there was a small crowd of teenage girls gathered outside the store, pressed to the glass to observe him. Blushing furiously, he ducked out of sight, pulled on the nearest shirt in his size, and went to the girls to ask if they could leave now.

“Aww~, it was just getting fun too,” Ochako whined.

“You called that fun?” Izuku asked indignantly.

“It was rather enjoyable,” Ibara added.

Izuku shook his head in disbelief.

 

* * *

 

On the way back to the apartment, the three teens stopped by Dagobah Beach to rest for a bit. The sun was slowly setting as they arrived, giving the sky a beautiful orange hue. “Oh wow… this beach looks so amazing…” Ochako stated in awe as she stared at the beautiful beach with impressed eyes from her spot on the boardwalk.

“Kyoka-san and Momo-san did an amazing job,” Ibara said.

Izuku, who was sitting on a bench, several boxes and bags filled with what the girls bought next to him, nodded. “Yeah… It’s impossible to tell that this beach used to be a dump.”

Ibara and Ochako sat down next to Izuku, each taking one side, enjoying the sunset, until…

“Stop right there, scumbag! You and your friends better get the hell on out of here or else!”

“Or else, what?”

The yelling caught their attention. Looking down at the beach, they saw three burly men. Their walking was slurred, evidence that they were drunk. Each of them were rather large and intimidating, one having the head of an octopus, one a hyena, and one a vulture.

The three men were harassing a girl, around the same age as them. She had teal eyes and long, ginger hair in a ponytail hanging off her left side. She wore a short blue dress with a red blazer, a wide leather belt, and dark blue shoes.

Ibara’s eyes widened in recognition. “Kendo-san?”

“You know here?” Ochako asked.

Ibara nodded. “She helped me during the entrance exam.”

“You gonna try to fight us?” The vulture, who was apparently the men’s ‘leader’, said in a mocking tone. “Hate to break it to ya, but you know how strict the rules are about Quirk usage in public. Or did you forget about that, my little princess~”

“Don’t. Call. Me. Your. Princess!” Kendo hissed.

“We better stop them!” Before there was any argument, Izuku bolted up and ran toward the scene, Ibara close by with Ochako not far behind.

“And there’s three of us and only one of you!” The vulture continued. “So what’s it gonna be my little princess? Either come quietly and have the best night of your life as we shower you with our _essence_. Or we take you by force and leave you in a shell of yourself as we enter inside of you! Choose wisely.”

“How about we go for option three? None of the above!” Kendo’s eyes widened as she heard a voice to her left, seeing Izuku, Ibara, and Ochako standing beside her.

“Shiozaki?” Kendo asked, recognizing the vine-haired girl right away.

“Who the hell are you three?” The vulture asked.

“Hey, those are some cute girls, too! We can have one each now!” The hyena drunkenly laughed.

“No kidding! I can’t wait to get my tentacles on them!”

It took a lot of willpower on Izuku’s part to not smack down the three drunk men right there, with the way they were lecherously staring at Ochako and Ibara along with Kendo. “I won’t let you get near them!”

“Oh yeah? And what are you gonna do about it, kid?” The vulture mocked. “You and your friends what to play hero? Well, let me make one thing clear to you! In order to use your Quirks in public, you need to have a Hero License or have the proper authorization. Especially if you use your Quirk violently. So, do you honestly think you can take all three of us down without using a Quirk?”

Izuku merely smirked as he stared at the three hooligans in front of them, “Yes, we can.”

“It’s you three pervs against the four of us, so I think we can win,” Ochako added. She then pulled out her phone and began to type. “We can even get a Pro Hero involved if you want.”

The three drunks visibly flinched at that. “You’re bluffing!”

“Are you sure you want to take that chance?” Ibara asked. “You may be forgiven for your sins if you just leave.”

The three men glared at them, each looking absolutely livid. Finally, the vulture spoke up. “Let’s go. This isn’t worth our time.” The vulture turned to leave, to the disappointment of the other two as they followed.

When they were out of earshot, Kendo spoke up. “Thank you.”

Once Izuku got a better look at her, he noticed that she was rather attractive, which caused his shyness to take over, “U-Uhh, a-a-are you o-okay? T-those g-guys d-d-didn't h-hurt y-you, did they?” Izuku said, stuttering through his whole sentence.

Kendo raised an eyebrow in confusion, _‘He was acting all cool just a minute ago, but now he’s a stuttering mess. Does he have trouble with girls?’_ She smiled a little. _‘That’s kinda cute.’_

“Don’t worry about Izuku-san,” Ibara said. “He’s been doing better, but he still needs improvement.”

“It’s okay,” Kendo smiled. “And I’m fine. Not a single one of them laid a finger on me thanks to all of you.”

Izuku sighed in relief as he calmed down.

“That’s good. It sure was lucky we happened to stop by then,” said Ochako. “I’m Uraraka Ochako, by the way. The stuttering guy is Midoriya Izuku!”

“I’m Kendo Itsuka,” she replied. “These are your friends, Shiozaki?” Kendo asked the vine-girl.

“Some of them,” Ibara answered. “I wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon Kendo-san.”

“Likewise,” Kendo then looked over to Izuku. _‘And I wasn’t expecting you to be friends with a cute boy like this.’_ Kendo blinked a few times, wondering where that thought had come from. “Thanks again. I probably could’ve taken them down by myself, but I’m honestly not sure.” Kendo shivered at the thought of what would’ve happened had they not appeared.

“It’s okay. But couldn’t you have used your Quirk?” Izuku asked.

“I would’ve if it wasn’t illegal. Otherwise, I would’ve smacked them down before they knew and you guys wouldn’t have gotten involved,” Kendo giggled as she poked Izuku’s chest… which happened to be as hard as a rock.

_‘W-What the hell?! Is he made of marble or something? Just what in the world is he hiding under all of those clothes…’_ Itsuka thought as not so innocent thoughts began to circulate through her mind. Before she knew it, her entire face resembled a tomato as steam blew from her ears. She comically collapsed onto the ground as her eyes turned into dizzy swirls.

“H-Hey, are you okay?!” Izuku asked as he, Ochako and Ibara did their best to bring Itsuka back from her dirty and perverse fantasies.

After a few minutes, Itsuka was finally able to calm down, though her cheeks still had a red tint to them. “I’m so sorry! I don’t know what came over me. I apologize for making you worry. Stuff like that doesn’t usually happen to me…” Itsuka said in embarrassment as she avoided making eye contact with the green-haired boy. The dirty thoughts were still fresh in her mind and looking into his beautiful green eyes would not help her situation.

“It’s okay,” said Ochako. “It happens to all of us.”

Izuku then noticed that the sun had completely set now. “It’s getting really late now. Sorry Kendo-san, but we need to go.”

“Do you think you can make it back home safely?” Ibara asked.

“I’ll be fine,” Itsuka replied. “I know a safe route back. If I hurry I won’t run into any more trouble. It was great meeting you.”

“Same here,” Izuku replied as he picked up the bags from the shopping trip.

Itsuka watched the three left, her cheeks still red as she happened to look at Izuku’s rear. “I wonder if he has a girlfriend?” She whispered to herself, before suddenly realizing what she said. Blushing even harder, she ran home as fast as she could.

 

* * *

 

Once they had returned home, Ochako and Ibara were quick to look over everything they bought, especially the clothes they got for Izuku, who had the sneaking suspicion they wanted him to model again. Fortunately, he was spared from that fate for the moment by the front door opening.

“I’m home!” Inko suddenly called, making the three teens looked to the direction of the front door curiously, seeing Inko walking in, carrying a couple of bags.

“Did some shopping, too?” Ochako asked.

“And a few other things,” Inko reached into one of her bags. “I brought you a few things. First off, for Izuku, tada!” She pulled out an emerald green bodysuit with dark red accents.

“A hero costume?!” Izuku asked. “Did you make this?”

“Yep! I may have taken a peek at your notes once when you fell asleep…”

“Huh?”

“And I know it’s not the coolest costume out there, but I made this as a gift for getting into U.A.! And as an apology.”

“An apology?” The three teens all asked.

“Yes. I… said something awful… and I never forgiven myself since.” Izuku nodded, knowing what she meant. “But you never gave up. I’m sorry Izuku, so from now on I’ll be cheering you on!” Izuku smiled, taking hold of the costume his mother had made.

“Well, put it on!” Ochako said. “Let’s see it!”

“Oh, ri- No, I’m not falling for that again!” Izuku exclaimed, his face red as he backed away from the girls.

“Aw, too bad,” Ochako whined as Ibara sighed in disappointment.

“What’s this about?” Inko asked.

“Oh, we just made Izuku model his new clothes earlier. Guess he’s afraid we’ll do it again,” Ochako answered.

“Really?” Inko flushed. “That’s cute! I remember making Hisashi do the same thing when his white clothes got ruined by a red ribbon once. He was rather hot in nothing but bright pink briefs.”

“MOM!”

“That reminds me, I have gifts for you two also,” Inko reached for a bag that had a somewhat large box. “These aren’t as extravagant as Izuku’s, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy them.” She handed the box to Ibara. It was a shoebox. Curious, Ibara opened it and found a pair of black knee-length boots. “I’m sure I got them in your size. What do you think? I figured you could use them for your costume.”

“Inko-obasan, you didn’t have to buy these,” Ibara looked over the boots. “I really do like them. Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome, dear.” Inko then took out a smaller box and handed it to Ochako. “And this is for you. I wasn’t sure what you would want, so I spoke with your mother. She said you wouldn’t mind these.”

Realizing it was pointless to argue, Ochako gratefully took the box and opened it, letting out an excited gasp when he pulled out what looked like a large collection of star-shaped stickers from the container. Stickers that she knew were more than meets the eye.

“Oh my gosh! Inko, did you seriously went and got me glow in the dark stickers!?” Ochako questioned as soon as she saw them. The next few minutes were spent talking as Inko prepared dinner. When she learned that Izuku ad the girls had to meet up with their friends for an important ‘meeting’ she had insisted on cooking something that’ll give them plenty of energy. Izuku wasn’t sure he wanted to know what she thought they were going to do.

As they waited, Ochako asked about what happened to Izuku’s horns. She noticed that they were no longer visible when he was modeling earlier.

Izuku rubbed his head. “Yeah, they started to disappear when I’m not using Dragon Force. It’s okay, though. I don’t want to freak out my mom too much yet.” He chuckled.

 

* * *

 

Once dinner was finished, Inko had gone to bed, leaven Izuku, Ochako, and Ibara awake. Ibara had just change into her church clothes, wearing the boots Inko had gotten for her. Ochako had taken out the witches staff Mizu had given her. Izuku sat at the couch, going over the notes he made earlier. Only a couple of hours were left before they needed to meet up with Rias and the others.

“Hey, Izu-kun,” Ochako spoke up. “Can we… sit with you?”

Izuku nervously nodded, “I don’t mind.” The girls went over to his bed and sat next to him, each taking one side, pressing their bodies close to his. Izuku took deep breaths to stay calm, but then noticed that they were trembling against him. Slowly, he placed his arms around their shoulders and pulled them close. “Ibara, Ochako, don’t worry. Everything will be okay. I promise.”

Ibara and Ochako smiled in content, snuggling closer to him. “Can we… stay like this until it’s time to go?” Ochako asked.

Izuku nodded with a smile, and they both took what time they had left to enjoy the warmth. _‘This… isn’t so bad.’_

 

* * *

 

When Izuku, Ochako, and Ibara arrived at the clubroom, they found that everyone had already gathered to await the start of the game, milling about to pass the time. Yuuto was inspecting the Yukinoha at one corner of the room, while Koneko was slipping on combat gloves with cat paws on each hand before eating some snacks that she brought along for herself. Rias sat on one of the sofas rather than her desk, sipping on a cup of tea Momo prepared, her Queen standing at her side. She looked very calm but was very tense on the inside. She had reason to as the Rating Game was going to decide her future, which she detested quite a lot. Kyoka and Mizu were there as well, the former standing by Momo while the latter sat in a corner. Izuku, Ochako, and Ibara went over to the other sofa to take their seats, waiting along with their friends.

After a few more moments of waiting, a magic circle appeared before the teenagers and Grayfia stepped out of it. She looked around and saw that everyone was accounted for, nodding in approval. “It’s good that all of you have arrived. The match is about to begin. Is everyone ready?” Everyone stood up and each one gave nods. “Very well. The match will be held in an artificial dimension created specifically for the game. As such, it is a disposable space so you may all fight with your fullest power. The Gremory and Phenex households, as well as their allies and peerages, will also be watching the battle. That means Lucifer will also be watching. Keep that in mind.”

“So ‘zechs is watching too,” Rias whispered silently.

“An artificial space,” Izuku mumbled in thought. “And Buchou’s big brother is gonna be watching too…”

“Buchou’s brother is also known as the Crimson Satan, and he is the strongest of his generation,” Yuuto chimed in. “His level of power is actually equivalent to that of the late Satans, and he’s one of the reasons why devils have managed to survive for so long. But since he was given the title of Lucifer, he couldn’t be referred to by his Gremory name anymore. That’s why Buchou is next in line to inherit the house instead of him.”

Izuku couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated. He knew that Rias came from a prestigious family, but hearing such stories about her super-powerful big brother was rather intimidating. Not only that, but there were three more of his comrades who had feats just as great as him. Considering his master, they were likely nice people. But still… he made a mental note to stay on their good sides.

“It’s time now. All of you, please step into the circle,” the group all turned to the maid as she gestured to the magic circle.

“Good luck guys,” Mizu said.

“We’ll be cheering for you,” Kyoka added. “Kick Riser’s ass.”

The Gremory group nodded and, with resolves of steel, they walked into the magic circle. Once they were all within, the light of the magic circle glowed brightly before they all vanished in the crimson glow.

 

* * *

 

“DIE YOU GERM FUCKERS! DIE!!!” Bakugo shouted as he scrubbed his teeth with his fifth toothbrush this week.

He had barely gotten any sleep last night. His stomach kept cramping, causing him to keep running to the bathroom feeling as if he were going to hurl, only for nothing to come out. He woke up in a puddle of his own sweat every few hours and had to take one of his forty-ounce water bottles to his room to quench a thirst that wouldn't go away.

All because one thought kept going through his head.

_‘Fifth place…’_

Even now, it seemed unreal. Bakugo had never gotten anything less than first place in his life. It just wasn’t something that happened to him. After all, wasn’t he the strongest and smartest out of all the extras in that shithole of a school?

Wasn’t he supposed to be better than everyone?

“Then why!? Why the fuck did I end up in fifth place behind some nobodies and fuckin’ Deku!?”

It shouldn’t be possible. Deku was supposed to be in last place no matter what. Hadn’t he put his all into that stupid exam? Hadn’t he pushed himself harder than ever? That should’ve easily launched him into first place!

_‘But no. Fucking Deku got first because of some bullshit!’_ Katsuki scrubbed his teeth harder than ever. “That shithead had to have cheated!”

Maybe he could’ve dealt with some nobody beating him. It was the U.A Entrance Exam, after all. A school for the best of the best.

But Deku? **_Deku_** was able to beat him? He’s Quirkless!

“Goddamnit!! He must’ve done it so he could humiliate me! That has to be it!”

“KATSUKI!” His mom shouted from her room. He stopped for a moment to listen. “Shut the fuck up! I’m trying to sleep and your shouting is killing me!”

Growling, Bakugo took out the brush and spat the toothpaste from his mouth. Blood from his gums ran into the drain with the white foam.

As he rinsed his mouth and toothbrush, he glared at his reflection with bloodshot eyes. He threw his now wrecked toothbrush into the trash and splashed water on his face. After drying his face, he gave himself an approving nod and walked out the door.

_‘Enjoy your lucky break, Deku… because soon enough, I’m going to leave you in the dust!’_ He thought, unaware that someone else might beat him to it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a little longer than I intended. I originally had planned for this ad the next chapter to be one big chapter but decided against it. Now it’s time to give Riser the beat down he deserves!
> 
> Oh, and what’s this? Could it be that sweet Kendo of Class 1-B is not as innocent as we all thought? 😏
> 
> The next chapter properly won’t be out for a while, so sorry in advance. And I hope you all look forward to it. See you next time! PLUS ULTRA!


	18. Players and Pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladies and gentlemen! People of the physical, the metaphysical, and everything in-between! Thank you all so much for waiting. Now, LET THE RATING GAME BETWEEN RIAS GREMORY AND RISER PHENEX COMMENCE!

When the light cleared from Izuku's vision, he looked around in confusion. They were still in the clubroom. “Huh? Isn’t this the same room?” he asked in confusion.

“Take a look outside,” Yuuto told him. Izuku blinked but went to the window anyway. He took a good look outside and was gobsmacked. The sky wasn’t in the black colored night anymore but instead was covered with a green aurora field. He looked further out the window and saw that it wasn’t just the OR club building that was in the new dimension, but the entire school ground as well.

“This is the battlefield they made for us?” Izuku asked. Feedback suddenly sounded in the area as the school speakers went online.

_[“Hello everyone. I am Grayfia, a maid from the House of Gremory, and today I will be the arbiter of the Rating Game between the House of Gremory and the House of Phenex. In the name of my Master, Sirzechs Lucifer, I will be keeping my eye on this match. By using both Lord Gremory and Lord Phenex’s opinion, we created this battlefield, which is a replica of the school, U.A. High, which Rias attends in the human world.”]_

“So Riser’s deliberately giving us the home-field advantage,” Rias said in an unamused tone, clenching her fist. “He’s seriously underestimating us. That’s fine, all the more reason to bring him down.”

_[“The location where both teams were transported to their base of operations. Rias’ base will be the Occult Research Club’s clubroom located at the club buildings. Riser’s base will be the Student Council’s room located in the main building. For the Pawns to use Promotion, please head to the enemy’s base to do so. You are permitted to set enchantments before the fighting begins. The game will begin in thirty minutes and will be signaled by the school bell. The time limit is dawn in the human world. Best of luck to both parties.”]_

With the time closing in on them, the group took to the center of the room to discuss their strategy. Rias was the first to speak up. “We have thirty minutes, so let’s make this quick,” Rias explained that Riser’s strategies in Rating Games were always simple, being tied to his ability to regenerate. Assuming that he doesn’t know about Izuku being the Red Dragon Emperor, or being part dragon, then he’s unlikely to change his MO.

She then gestured for Izuku to detail what he thought would be best against Riser. Stuttering for a moment, Izuku explained that the best strategy he could think of was to take out Riser’s servants before taking on the King himself. If they were to attack him directly, they’ll be out in the opening, making it easy for the enemy to finish them off. But if they waited, Riser’s Pawns could enter their base first, giving them the chance to promote themselves to Queens.

As such the best option was to go after the Pawns first, followed by the Queen, Rooks, Bishops and then the Knights, not necessarily in that order though. With them gone Riser won’t have any backup. “Then I can use Mizu-sama’s advice, along with the Yukinoha,” Yuuto spoke up.

Izuku nodded. For defense, he suggested for Yuuto to set up traps within the surrounding woods, while Momo and Ochako set up defensive barriers and illusion charms around the club building. But there was also the matter of Gym Gamma nearby. Though it was still quite the ways away, it was still the closest building to them. As such it could give Riser’s servants an easy route to the clubroom. As such Izuku, Ochako and Koneko were assigned to clear that route.

Rias herself would stay behind at the base as the commander to give support depending on how the game went, and Ibara would be by her side as emergency first aid. Once they took out all of Riser’s servants, they were to regroup and then go after Riser himself.

Momo checked the time and saw that they had about 10 minutes left before the Rating Game began. “Let’s get started on those traps and barriers.”

“Hai!” Ochako and Yuuto nodded. Before they left, Momo handed each of them a small com-link device to communicate with each other. Once everyone had been given one, the Queen, Rook, and Knight left the room, leaving Rias, Koneko, Ibara, and Izuku in relative silence. The gentle Bishop was sitting across from Izuku, hands in her lap as she continued nervously fidgeting in anticipation of the fight.

“You okay, Ibara-san?” Izuku asked.

“…I’ll be fine.”

“Try to relax,” Koneko deadpanned.

Rias then placed a hand on the Bishop’s shoulder. “We’re all nervous, Ibara. But we need to focus, okay?”

Ibara nodded. “Oh, I just remembered. I brought these,” she reached into her robe and pulled out a cross and a bottle.

“You still have that?!” Rias exclaimed, the skin of every devil in the room crawling. “And is that holy water!?”

Ibara fidgeted her fingers nervously. “I never bothered to get rid of them, and I figured they could be of use some time.”

As much as Rias wanted to scold Ibara for keeping a cross and Holy Water, she decided against it. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

“I’m a little numb, but I’ll be fine.”

Rias sighed, before staring at the Church items on the table. She hated to admit it, but these defiantly will be useful. “I’ll hold onto them,” Izuku offered.

Rias looked to Izuku like he’d grown two extra heads. “You can’t be serious!”

“I should be fine,” green scales appeared on Izuku’s right arm as he picked up the cross and holy water. “My scales should protect me for a little while.”

As much as she wished he’d reconsidered, Rias knew by now to trust Izuku’s judgment. “I sure hope you know what you’re doing. But to make extra sure…” Rias went over to the sofa and sat down, softly patting on the seat beside her. “Sit over here.”

Izuku’s cheeks turned rosy red, slowly gulping, “Uh… sure.” He went over to the president and sat down next to her, uncomfortably fidgeting. Ibara watched quietly with wide eyes and red cheeks.

Rias pointed at her thighs, “Lay your head on my lap.”

“E-eh?!” Izuku gasped, his eyes widening as he flinched.

“This isn’t a time to act embarrassed,” Rias chided him. “Just trust me.”

Izuku took a deep breath to calm himself down before slowly laying his head on Rias’ lap, while Ibara stared at the scene with a pout, not being able to hide her jealousy.

“Now Izu-kun, I’ll cast a little spell on you.” Izuku’s face began to glow red. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad. I’m just going to unlock a seal is all.” She then placed a hand on his forehead.

_Thu-thump!_

Izuku gasped at the sudden change in his body. Then, an incredible amount of power flooded into his body. It wasn’t like the kind that he had gotten from the Boosted Gear, as it was a power of its own. What he was feeling now was something that came from within him, and it felt familiar and comfortable.

“When you became a Devil, I told you it took all eight of my Pawns pieces,” she told him. “But what I didn’t tell you was how much power you’d receive.”

“W-what do you mean?” Izuku asked.

“If I had unleashed everything all at once, your body wouldn’t have been able to take it. So I casted a spell to keep your powers at bay. Because of the spell, your abilities come to you in small, manageable stages. What I just did now was unseal another portion of your powers. This is only the beginning of what you're capable of, Izuku. That training we did was meant to have you cope with the power of Boosted Gear and the eight Pawns, you’ll be fully able to use Promotion to its full power. Though there are areas you still lack in.” She then started patting his head.

“Ah!” Ibara turned her body sideways with her hands together to pray. “There I was, being jealous when all along Rias was just trying to help him,” she said. “Dear God, please forgive me for being so stupid and letting awful jealousy get the best of me.”

And then the headache came.

“OW!”

Koneko silently stared at the Bishop with a deadpanned face, quietly enjoying a candy bar.

They waited for several more minutes before…

**RIIIIIIING!**

“Go time,” Rias said as she stood up. “Riser is likely to have already sent out his servants, so we need to move. Izuku, Koneko, go help Ochako. She should be at Gym Gamma. Some of Riser’s servants are likely already there.”

Koneko and Izuku nodded. “Right,” Izuku said. Though oddly, he was smiling.

“Good, now get going,” Rias smiled back. “We have a game to win. Show them what you can do.”

“Hai!” They quickly ran outside.

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, three of Raiser’s Pawns were traversing themselves through a very thick fog, trying to find their way to the club building. The first of the young women, Shuriya, had long, pale blue hair, amber eyes with purple highlights around them, and tanned skin that was wearing a bikini made up of a metallic underwire brassiere and a silk loincloth that exposed her sides, a silver-colored tiara, and neck rings with a ruby and blue gem respectively. Other accessories include ruby orb earrings, a snake-themed bracelet on her upper arm and a transparent pink veil across both her arms.

The other two, Marion and Burent, were dressed as French maids. With Marion having shoulder-length light brown hair and dark brown eyes. Her French maid uniform was a buttoned, sleeveless one with a white laced design, along with a standard maid headpiece, cuffs, and a white half-apron to go with the set. She also wore light gray tights.

Burent, on the other hand, had shoulder-length brown hair and had a maid’s uniform that was also sleeveless but exposed her cleavage with a white lace design on the edges, a maid headpiece, half-apron, and forearm length fingerless gloves.

“Damn,” Burent said. “This fog is so thick I can’t see anything.”

Then a red magic appeared a few meters from them, standing tall. With a quick flash, it launched glowing projectiles as long as spears at them. The three Pawns saw the danger and quickly jumped out of the way, letting the projectiles impale trees and the ground.

“A trap,” Shuriya said in amusement as she flew through the air. “Did they really think that something like that would work?”

“Looks like the Gremory group are dumber than I thought,” Burnet mocked as she and Marion were in the air together.

“A cute trick from a Rating Game virgin,” Marion said as she landed, failing to notice the near-invisible wire directly under her foot.

Shuriya did, though. “Marion, wait!”

Too late. The wire broke the second some of Marion’s weight was on it. Up above, a dozen swords rain down upon them. The three Pawns avoided them as best they could, though their clothes weren’t as lucky. Once all twelve swords were embedded in the ground, they collectively breathed a sigh of relief… until the swords began to glow.

“Now wh-”

**BOOM KA-BOOM BOOM!**

The swords exploded. The three Pawns were hit directly with the force, sending them flying, crashing into the trees around them. When the smoke cleared, each Pawn was down on the ground, but not yet out.

All Shuriya could do was look up, where she saw Kiba Yuuto walking down the trunk of a tree. The katana he was carrying had a white mist surrounding it, while frost grew from where he stepped. “I have to give Izuku and Momo credit,” he chuckled. “That trap worked perfectly. I never would’ve thought I could make my Demonic Swords explode like that.”

“…Fuck.”

 

* * *

 

Izuku and Koneko had caught up to Ochako, the three making their way towards Gym Gamma. They had just heard of Grayfia’s announcement, so they sped up their track to the gym. When they finally reached it, they entered through the backdoor as quietly as they could in the hopes of catching Riser's servants off guard if they got there first. Once they entered, though, they found that the gym was both huge but also empty. No place to hide.

And Riser’s servants had beaten them to it. Four of them stood not far from the front entrance. “So nice to meet you, Servants of Gremory.” One of them challenged.

Izuku remembered them from the first time he saw them as well as the footage Rias had given him. The apparent leader of the small group was a well-endowed girl that appears to be of Chinese descent, with shoulder-length black hair and blue-green eyes. Her hair has two Chinese style buns on both sides of her head, while the front features bangs that form a slight V-shape across her forehead. Her outfit consists of a navy blue qipao with gold accents, with a sash around her stomach, black armguards on her forearms, and black, low-heeled shoes. The qipao was open at the chest area, giving view to her breast and cleavage, as well as a split down the left side to show off her long, left leg. Watching them approach, the Chinese woman spoke again. “So some of Rias’s servants did come here after all. I am Xuelan, Riser’s Rook!” she introduced herself boldly.

There were two twins behind Xuelan, both of them looking like they belonged in middle school. Both of them had turquoise hair with yellow ribbons tied to one side of their hair opposite to one another, likely to tell them apart. They were dressed in gym uniforms; white t-shirts with blue accents, black leggings, and blue sneakers over knee-high socks, no different to how most female gym uniforms were like. They also wore orange wristbands on their right wrists. They were also holding red and blue gym bags. “Ile and Nel! Riser’s Pawns!” both twins introduced cutely.

The last girl had blue hair and light brown eyes. Her hair was styled with four short ponytails, two of them pointing up and the other two pointing down. The front of her hair had split bangs going across her forehead, with side bangs framing her face. Her outfit consisted of a white haori with a red obi, worn under a red happi coat. She had bandages on her forearms and shins, and blackguards over her hands. She wore a pair of zori under her feet. Gripped in her hands was a wooden staff. “I’m Mira… Riser’s Pawn,” she greeted.

Izuku, Ochako, and Koneko glanced at each other. The enemy introduced themselves, so it was courtesy for them to do the same. “Toujou Koneko, Rias Gremory-sama’s Rook.”

“I’m Uraraka Ochako, Rias-sama’s other Rook.”

“And Midoriya Izuku, Rias-san’s Pawn."

Xuelan gave a gruff nod as she pounded her fists together, “Now that introductions are out of the way, we can get down to business.” She switched to a kung-fu stance, gesturing her fingers in a “come here” taunt.

Koneko stepped forward and put up her fists in a boxing stance. “I’ll take the Rook.”

“I can handle Mira,” Ochako gripped her staff.

“Guess that leaves me with the twins.” Izuku looked at the two Pawns as they pulled out something from the bags.

**GGRRNNGG! GGRRNNGG! GGRRNNGG!**

Izuku’s eyes widened. The little girls were packing chainsaws!

“Goodie! We get to split you up!” Nel exclaimed… or was it Ile?

The twins were wearing disturbing grins as their chainsaws revved up. Both weapons engulfed in flames as they charged at him.

_‘Chainsaws?! They never used chainsaws in the matches I saw!’_

“Slice ‘em up! Slice ‘em up! Slice ‘em up!” The two chanted happily. When they approached him, the first one swung her chainsaw at his head while the second twin went for his legs. Izuku jumped into the air to avoid the attack… which worked a little too well.

One hit the wall, the chain of her chainsaw breaking the instant it hit the hard concert. The other tripped, tossing her chainsaw in the air, it’s grip bonking her on the head before landing on the floor, it’s chain breaking also.

Izuku sweat-dropped. “Oh, maybe that’s why…”

Mira sweat-dropped also, forgetting about her opponent… who was desperately trying not to laugh. “When will those two learn?” She groaned.

“That happens often?” Ochako asked between giggles.

Miria didn’t answer though. Instead, she charged at Ochako, swinging her staff, which was light in flames, down on her.

Meanwhile, Koneko and Xuelan were busy with their fight.

“Hah!”

The Chinese devil’s hands and feet were alit with flames, and she was swinging them at Koneko. but the shorter girl blocked and parried the blows as they came. She could feel the searing heat waving at her face, with some of the flames managing to rip bits and parts of her uniform. Koneko continued to hold her ground as she planted her feet firmly into the floor and rammed her shoulder into Xuelan. Xuelan grunted and recoiled from the hit, struggling to get her senses back, but Koneko pressed on and through a fist into her stomach. The Chinese cried out as she was sent flying, but quickly flipped in the air and landed back on her feet, dashing back at Koneko to retaliate. Koneko quickly backflipped away from the opponent, avoiding the punches and kicks aimed at her.

“Trying to run away?” The Phenex Rook taunted.

“You wish,” Koneko said, sinking her fingers into the wooden floor. Without even uttering a word, she threw a chunk of concrete at her. Xuelan gave a small huff before rushing in and smashing the block with her fist. From the smoke, she charged at Koneko with her fist raised, who was also ready with her fist clench.

Both Rooks ended up nailing the other’s jaws. The force of the hits echoed in the air as the fists buried into the other’s face. They both stepped back from one another, nursing their faces.

“That hurt a bit,” Xuelan admitted, spitting out a loose tooth.

“…Same,” Koneko nodded, rubbing her sore face. “Not bad.”

_*Bonk!*_

The two Rooks turned to see Izuku bashing together the twins’ heads. The two fell to the ground before disappearing.

_["Two of Riser’s Pawns have retired."]_

“Ile! Nel!” Mira shouted. The Phenex Pawn turned to Ochako with a glare before rushing toward her, spinning her staff around her before swinging her weapon in quick strikes while also throwing several kicks in.

However, Ochako grabbed Miria’s leg as she threw a kick. Then, using the Pawn’s momentum against her, she tossed her through the air and into a wall, leaving spider-cracks behind her. She was only able to let out a cough before she slowly collapsed to the ground, down and certainly out.

_[“One of Riser’s Pawns has retired.”]_

Xuelan gave out a growl. Her teammates had already been taken out such a short time. “Damn-!”

 _["Three of Riser’s Pawns have retired."]_ Grayfia announced.

Xuelan’s eyes widened in shock at the announcement. Izuku, Ochako, and Koneko had more pleasant surprised looks in comparison.

“Alright, good news!” Ochako grinned.

“Looks like one of our traps worked!” Izuku guessed.

Koneko didn’t say anything but smiled softly at the fact that they were in the lead. The three then noticed that Xuelan was staring at one of the windows. Koneko quickly took the opportunity to attack by leaping forward to deliver a dropkick on the enemy Rook. Xuelan quickly regained focus as she gasped and rolled away from the kick, quickly taking another stance. “My my, look who’s getting their ass whooped,” Koneko mocked, putting up a guard.

“Don’t think so highly of yourself,” Xuelan frowned. “We’re just getting started.” Suddenly two arms wrapped her from behind. “What the-!”

“Maybe,” Xuelan looked behind her and saw Ochako. “But we _already_ started!”

“Let go of me!” Xuelan exclaimed.

“Sure!” Ochako let go, but not before using her Quirk on Xuelan. Eyes widening, the Phenex Rook began floating in the air. “Now, Koneko-chan!”

Xuelan looked ahead and saw Koneko having jumped up high into the air before she came crashing down at full force.

**SMASH!**

The floor got utterly destroyed by the impact, dust filling the air and growing in size. Ochako ad Izuku shielded themselves as air blew around them. The smoke quickly vanished, and Koneko could be seen in the center of a large crater, getting up as Xuelan vanished into a glimmer of light after that.

_["One of Riser’s Rooks has retired."]_

“Nice job, Koneko-chan!” Izuku grinned, running up to his teammate. He quickly stopped and blanched. The reason why was because both Koneko and Ochako didn’t quite come out untouched. Koneko’s outfit was partially torn and burnt from being on the receiving end of the attacks. Ochako’s shirt and pants were ripped in various places, exposing her bra which was burned slightly, exposing a nipple. They turned to face him and noticed his embarrassed face before looking down at their damaged outfits.

“KYAH!” Ochako screamed as she and Koneko covered themselves.

“Keep looking and I’ll claw your eyes out,” Koneko threatened with a glare.

“R-r-right! S-Sorry,” Izuku apologized turning away. As Ochako magically repaired their clothes, Izuku took the moment to look out the window. The same one Xuelan briefly glanced out. _‘I wonder what she was looking at?’_

He got his answer when he saw someone with slamming wings. He recognized her right away and knew what she was planning to do.

“Guys! Look out!” He screamed, running towards them.

Koneko and Ochako turned around suddenly, shocked at the seriousness of his tone. As their teammate ran towards them, spreading his wings, a blinding light appeared from out the window.

 

* * *

 

**KA-BOOM!**

Yuuto stopped in his tracks and looked up in shock. From his position, he saw a thick layer of smoke rising into the sky and flames dancing around. From all the times he visited the real U.A., he realized where the explosion had happened. He also knew who was there when it happened. “Guys!”

 _“Yuuto, calm down,”_ Rias’ voice spoke in his com-link. _“Grayfia didn’t announce that any of them were defeated so they may be still in play. Still, just to be sure I’m going to send Momo to check. Riser’s Queen is likely the one responsible. Only she has that kind of magic to cause such an explosion.”_

“Right, understood,” Yuuto nodded.

 _“Right, now you have your own job to do. Be careful,”_ Rias ordered.

“Yes ma’am,” Yuuto obeyed. He ran off in full sprint, praying that his friends were safe.

 

* * *

 

Amid the burning and ravaged building that was once the gymnasium, Izuku hugging both Ochako and Koneko tightly, his wings wrapped around them. All three were dusty and bruised from the blast. “You two okay?” Izuku asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Ochako nodded. “What about you, Koneko-chan?”

“I’m okay… thanks for the save,” Koneko said, a slight smile on her face. Looking up, she suddenly frowned. “We have company.”

Izuku and Ochako followed her gaze and narrowed their eyes. Up above them levitating with flaming wings was a busty figure holding a staff, slowly descending before them. “Is that…?”

“That’s right,” Koneko confirmed. “Riser’s Queen, Yubelluna.”

Yubelluna gave a condescending smirk. “I’m surprised you three managed to survive my signature attack. I figured that it would be easier to finish you all off after our comrades’ sacrificed themselves to tire you out. The enemy is most vulnerable during a celebration after all,” she said. Her smirk widened at the sight of them. “And I apologies. I didn’t intend to interrupt your skinship moment…”

The three Gremory devils blinked at her words, slowly looking at one another before releasing just how close Izuku was holding them. Instinctively, Izuku leapt backwards just as Koneko threw a punch, her cheeks puffing angrily while Ochako’s entire face turned red.

“However,” Yubelluna continued, her smirk turning into a frown. “I also wasn’t expecting for you to be a dragon, boy.” She brandished her staff around and pointed it at Izuku. “Although I’m not very fond of the name, it is because of my magic that I am known as the Bomb Queen. Yet you managed to survive a directed hit while shielding your comrades. I’d like to see how long you can last against me!”

He frowned as he looked up at Yubelluna before turning to his friends. “Koneko-chan, Ochako-san, go and help Yuuto-san.”

Koneko looked at him, aghast, realizing what he’s planing. “Are you stupid?! She’s a Queen! You won’t last a minute!”

“I’ll be fine,” Izuku reassured them, a small smile on his face. “Compared to Tannin-sama or Kacchan, her blasts are just firecrackers.”

“You dare mock me?” The opposing Queen hissed. “And you honestly expect me to believe you’ve faced against the Blaze Meteor Dragon himself?”

Izuku turned to Yubelluna with a determined glare. Koneko and Ochako grimaced but reluctantly nodded. They ejected their wings and flew off into the air. Yubelluna idly ignored them.

“You allowed your comrades to escape so that you would stay and fight me,” Yubelluna said, cocking her head. “Very admirable… Foolish, but admirable. Do you honestly believe you can beat me?” The Phenex Queen asked him.

Izuku said nothing, instead clenching his fist. “ _Promotion: Queen!_ ”

He leaped up into the air, readying a punch, but Riser’s Queen blocked it with a barrier. “Nice try,” she mocked before creating another explosion. The blast sent Izuku back, but he quickly recovered in the air.

“Damnit!” He hissed when Momo’s voice spoke through the com-link.

_“Izuku-san, close your eyes.”_

“Huh?” Izuku did so, but he wanted to ask why when Yubelluna spoke up.

“Sorry, little boy, but you can’t beat me alone.” Yubelluna mocked.

“He’s not alone!”

Several objects suddenly fell around Yubelluna stagers back, but a closer look them to be Russian matryoshka dolls in Momo’s likeness. “Hmph, how cute,” she laughed, knocking the doll aside. It opened up, revealing a flashbang inside.

_*BANG!*_

“AHHH!” The Phenex Queen screamed, the incredibly bright hurting her eyes.

Izuku, even with his eyes closed, could still see just how bright the flashbang was. Once the light died down, Izuku opened his eyes and landed on the ground. Yubelluna was also on the ground, crying in agony about her eyes.

“Izuku-san, are you okay?” Izuku looked up to see Momo gliding toward him. She landed on the ground and quickly jogged up to him. “What happened? Where’s Koneko-chan and Ochako-san?” She asked, looking up and down at his ragged clothes.

“They’re okay,” Izuku answered. “We got blindsided by Riser’s Queen. I told them to go on help Yuuto.”

“Agh! You little bitch!” Yubelluna screeched, sending a volley of explosions at them.

“Look out!” Izuku quick held Momo close and turned her away from the blasts.

**BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!**

Izuku screamed as he shielded Momo from the fireballs. Behind them, Yubelluna rubbed her eyes, clearly still disoriented by the flashbang. “Izuku-san, are you okay?!” Momo frantically asked.

“I’m fine,” Izuku groaned as he stood up. He blushed upon seeing the state Momo was in. While she was still fine, her clothes were torn and burned from all the heat and fire. He quickly shook it off, though.

Yubelluna was rubbing her eyes, clearly still disoriented by the flashbang. “This is our chance!” Momo realized. Lightning surged around her as black sand suddenly picked up from the ground and swirled in the air, circling over both her and Yubelluna. When Phenex Queen’s eyesight finally returned, she looked up in shock at what she saw.

“W-what is this?!” Yubelluna muttered, unsure of what to make of what she was seeing.

“It’s iron sand I made before I arrived,” Yubelluna glared at Momo and saw that, indeed, iron sand was coming from her body. “By using my power of lightning, I can manipulate electromagnetism,” the Gremory Queen said, raising her hand over her head, “Meaning I can control any susceptible metal, like this!”

At Momo’s command, the iron sand stretched down onto Yubelluna and sharpened into spikes. Yubelluna put up her staff and summoned a shield before her. The spikes stabbed and jabbed at the shield, breaking it apart until it shattered. The spikes continue the relentless barrage as the enemy Queen was forced to retreat by gliding backwards, but some of them managed to shred onto her clothing. She screamed and shrieked as a support beam from the wreaked gym slammed into her from behind.

Izuku flinched at what he saw. That looked painful. _‘I’m sure glad Momo is on our side,’_ he thought as he looked at said girl… and noticed the slight blush she had. “Uh… are you okay?”

“Oh, uh, yes! I’m fine!” She lied. _‘Crap! I got turned on again! Am I a pervert?’_

“Okay, I admit, I may have underestimated you two.” Their attention was drawn back to Yubelluna, who had just moved aside the support beam. She dug her hand in-between her large breasts and pulled out a small bottle.

The appearance of the bottle confused Momo. “What is that?”

Izuku, however, recognized it as something Rias told him about. “Phoenix Tears?!”

Yubelluna opened the vial and poured its contents on her arm. In an instant, Yubelluna’s wounds healed. Momo and Izuku could only stare in shock. _‘Are you KIDDING me?!’_

“Those were impressive tricks, Gremory Queen, but I won’t fall for them again,” Yubelluna boasted. “I’m glad I brought this along.” She toyed with the empty vial of Phoenix Tears in her fingers before tossing it aside. “Now, shall we continue?”

Izuku gritted his teeth. _‘If she has the other vial, then beating her won’t be easy. Since her explosions don’t do much damage to me, she’ll target Momo-san.’_

 _‘She’ll target me, which will force Izuku-san to defend me. If that keeps up, even if we do beat her, we’ll be too weak to continue.’_ Momo mentally continued what Izuku thought. _‘Our best bet is to take her out in one shot, but to do that…’_

 _‘But how do we do that?’_ Izuku silently asked, trying to come up with a strategy. His thoughts were interrupted, though, when Momo spoke up.

“Izuku-san,” said boy looked to her. He saw the determined look in her eyes. “I have an idea, but I need you to distract her for a bit. Think you can do that?”

Izuku nodded. “Leave it to me.” Izuku took to the air again, energy channeling into his Boosted Gear. “Dragon Shot!”

Yubelluna lazily raised her staff and conjured a shield. “Pointless,” she said as the Dragon Shot harmlessly bounced off the shield… only for her eyes to widen in surprise to see Izuku dive-bombing her. Izuku bypassed the shield easily before delivering a swift punch to Yubelluna’s gut.

He then kicked the Phenex Queen, sending her a few feet back before landing on her back. Groaning and moaning in pain, Yubelluna gritted her teeth with one eye closed, glaring at Izuku, as he just stood where he was. He was blocking her view of Momo, who seemed to be doing something.

“Try all you want but little tricks like that won’t work on me,” Yubelluna boasted as she stood up. She prepared another explosion, one big enough that she was sure it’ll take both of them out, when…

“Izuku-san, now!”

Izuku jumped to the side. Yubelluna’s attention was so focused on him that she forgot about Momo, who had created a large cannon next to her. “What?!” Was all the Phenex Queen could say before the cannon fired.

_*BOOM!*_

In an instant, something wrapped itself around Yubelluna. She fell to the ground, immobilized by a bola fired by the cannon. Though caught off guard, Yubelluna smirked. “You think this little thing can hold-”

Yubelluna didn’t finish, though, when she saw that, in Momo’s hand, a ball of lightning had formed. Izuku, realizing what she had planned, landed next to her and placed his Boosted Gear on her arm.

**[Transfer!]**

**ZAOORRN!**

The attack came so quickly that Yubelluna was unable to react at all. Even if she did had time, the attack was so large and powerful that it would’ve been to avoid. All she could do was scream as the boosted lightning bolt destroyed her surroundings. The blast was so bright Momo and Izuku had to shield their eyes. Once the light faded, all that was left was a badly burned Yubelluna in the center of burnt concrete with hot glass surrounding her before she disappeared a white light.

_["Riser’s Queen has retired.”]_

Izuku and Momo collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. “We… we took her out…” Izuku heaved.

“Yeah… we did…” Momo sighed. “I think… I’m gonna rest… here for a bit."

“Are you sure?” Izuku asked her. “Should I take you to Ibara? She can-”

“I can manage for a little bit.” Momo interrupted him, pulling out a chocolate granola bar from her pocket. “If I need to I’ll go to Ibara-san by myself. You still have strength. Go help the others.”

Izuku reluctantly nodded. “I’ll be back with the others. I promise,” spreading his wings, flew up into the air.

Momo smiled as she watched Izuku fly off. “Good luck, Izuku.”

 

* * *

 

Izuku flew just above the canopy at full speed, the trees blurring past him. Though he was concerned for Momo, he knew they had to focus on the other enemy servants. “I hope Momo-san will be okay.”

Eventually, he spotted Koneko, Ochako, and Yuuto hiding behind some bushes. Several meters away he saw seven of Riser’s servants making their way through the forest. Quietly, Izuku landed behind his friends, making sure not to be seen. He didn't give away their position, or his. “You guys okay?” He asked in a whisper. The three were nearly startled by Izuku’s voice.

“I managed to get three of Riser’s Pawns into one of our traps. The explosive swords made it too easy. Of course, this only made the rest of the enemy servants cautious of their surroundings.” Yuuto told him, also in a whisper.

“What about you?” Ochako asked. “What happened to the fight with Riser’s Queen?”

“Momo-san finished her off but is resting now,” Izuku answered. “Once we’re done here we should go check up on her.”

“They don't look like they’ll be falling for our traps, though,” Koneko said, looking on in concern. “We might have to confront them ourselves if things don’t go as planned.”

“So, what’s the plan, Izuku?” Yuuto asked.

Before Izuku could answer, however, a voice suddenly called out to them. “We know you’re out there, Servants of Rias Gremory. I, Karlamine, Knight of Raiser Phenex, challenge you, Knight of Gremory, to a duel!”

Yuuto’s eyes narrowed as he stood up from, grabbing the hilt of the Yukinoha. “What are you doing?!” Ochako hissed.

Yuuto gave them a calm smile. “A Knight just challenged me to a duel. As a fellow Knight, I must respond.” And with that, Yuuto stepped out into the open to accept the challenged.

Izuku and Ochako continued to stare at Yuuto while Koneko stared at him with the same half-lidded, impassive face that she always had. Eventually, she closed her eyes and sighed. “Guess we better follow him.”

Nodding, the three followed Yuuto out of their hiding spot. Out in the clearing, seven girls were opposing them, including the Knight that challenged Yuuto.

“I am Kiba Yuuto, Knight of Rias Gremory-sama,” Yuuto announced as he pulled out the Yukinoha, “I humbly accept your challenge to a duel!”

Since Yuuto introduced himself, the other Gremory devils felt that they had to do the same, “I’m Midoriya Izuku, Rias-san’s Pawn!”

“Toujou Koneko, Rias Gremory’s Rook.”

“And I am Uraraka Ochako, Rias Gremory’s other Rook.”

“Well met!” The Phenex Knight, Karlamine, nodded. “I am pleased that I will be able to have an honorable duel with a fellow Knight!” The female Knight was wearing a headband that goes across her light brown hair and forehead, and green eyes, and quite the endowed body. Strangely though, her outfit consists of a full set of silver armor with black accents that appears to be a cross between a European knight and a Japanese samurai; with a chest plate, gauntlets, greaves, hip plates, and shoulder guards. She was equipped with a broadsword and a dagger, both of which are held with brown belts slung across her hip, with the sword slung on her left hip and the dagger located behind her hips.

“Good grief… there she goes again, acting so high and mighty. I know she’s a Knight, but her interests in swords is starting to become an obsession.” Izuku quickly turned around towards the direction of the voice. He saw it was the princess-like girl who resembled Riser. “Let’s make this quick. Isabela, take the Pawn. Li, Ni, you’ll handle the white Rook. Siris, Mihae, you have the other Rook.”

“Yes, milady,” the women stepped forward.

“Siris, Knight of Riser Phenex,” said a tall young woman with long black hair that had a blue tint in it with brown eyes. Her hair looked like it had five thin ponytails spiraling out around her head, which were held up by a golden hair accessory on top of her head. Her outfit consisted of a white top with black accents that was modeled after a Chinese cheongsam, red shorts, and armored, knee-high boots with matching gauntlets. In the center of her top was a diamond-shape hold that gave everyone a clear view of her breasts and cleavage. She was carrying a giant a two-handed zweihänder.

“I am Mihae, Bishop of Raiser Phenex,” the girl had long black hair, blue eyes, and an angelic face. She was dressed in a black and blue kimono that went all the way to the ground, a red sash around her waist, and a white tabi-socks on her feet. Her shoes were traditional slippers

“We are Ni and Li! Raiser Phenex-sama’s Pawns!” The two catgirls spoke in unison. The catgirl on the right had pinkish hair, and the one on the left had light bluish hair. They both wore boxing gloves that were the same color as their hair, and a rather provocative school girl outfits. Their cat ears stuck out of their hairs and their tails were swaying from side-to-side behind them. Their uniforms had bright yellow ribbons on their chests, the lower half of their shirts were trimmed up high, exposing the bottom half of their breasts, short skirts that barely showed the edges of their butts, and shoes that matched their hair color.

“More twins?!” Ochako exclaimed as Koneko took battle-ready stances, Koneko pounding her fists together.

“Think we can take ‘em, senpai?” Koneko asked as she cracked her fingers.

Ochako nodded. “Yep!”

“Looks like that leaves you with me,” Izuku turned at the voice. She was a girl with short, light brown hair with three red highlights across and grey eyes. The feature that stood out the most with a plain white mask which covers the right side of her face. Her outfit consists of a black jacket and matching jeans. The jacket has wide shoulders and a wide collar and features three leather straps on both her arms. It's also slightly open, revealing her rather-large breasts and cleavage, and cuts off at her midriff. Her jeans have a section, on her right pant leg, that's cut off to reveal some of her thighs and rear end, and also features three leather straps on her calves, just below the ankles, and two extra straps on her right pant leg to keep it in place, while also sporting black fighting gloves and boots.

She smirked. “I am Isabela, Rook of Riser Phenex. In my master’s name, I will defeat you!” The girl had a manic look in her only visible eye, half mask obscuring her other.

Izuku scowled. “I’m Midoriya Izuku, Rias-san’s Pawn. I’m sorry, but for both her sake and ours, I’m afraid I can’t let you win.”

“You sound confident.” The Rook grinned at him, completely devoid of malice. “This should be interesting.”

Izuku couldn’t help himself but get excited himself. He raised his hands in a classic boxing stance to perfectly match his opponent’s style, something her smile indicated she appreciated. She charged and started throwing punches at him, but Izuku was able to dodge them.

**[Boost!]**

Izuku blocked one of Isabela’s attack, his doubled Queen strength matching the Rooks. Smiling, the masked Rook spun on her heel, delivering a one-two to his ribs before rolling to the side as he brought a hand hammering down to impact upon her location. She struck again, he grunted at the impact before bringing his forearm to slam into her shoulder. At this, she winced and took two steps back, favoring her bruised appendage.

“Damn, you’re good. I’m curious, where did you train?” She asked.

Izuku rubbed the area where Isabela hit him. He wasn’t sure, but it felt like he had a cracked rib. “I’ve had two great teachers.”

“Well, then I hope you give me a private lesson sometime after this,” she gave him a seductive wink.

Izuku paled a bit as his face went face red. “Uh… Well, I, uh, see…”

Isabela blinked in genuine confusion. _‘That’s… not the reaction I was expecting.’_

 

* * *

 

Rias opened the door to the main building, allowing her and Ibara to enter before letting it close behind her. There wasn’t a sign of anyone in the building. It seemed deserted.

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Buchou?” Ibara asked. “Shouldn’t we tell the others?”

Rias gritted her teeth. She knew she should’ve done so, but her pride had clouded her judgment. Riser had directly challenged her, so she felt obliged to accept. “I know it’s a risk, but after what nearly happened to Izuku, Koneko, Ochako, and Momo, it may be our best chance to end this here and now.”

As they approached the student council room, a voice called out. “I’ve been expecting you.” The owner of the voice soon stepped out of the student council room. Chuckling menacingly, Riser said, “Hello, my beloved Rias.”

 

* * *

 

Ravel was gnawing on the nail of her thumb hard as she watched her unit fight the enemy Pawn, Rooks, and Knight. She had been very anxious ever since the announcement that Yubelluna had been defeated, likely at the hands of the opposing Queen. The large blast of light earlier certainly wasn’t hard to miss.

This was not good. Yubelluna was the strongest on their team and with her gone, they didn’t have a good chance to win unless Rias decided to forfeit. Not to mention that the Gremory Peerage had yet to lose any of their members and were still fighting hard and strong. It was starting to look as if their unblemished winning streak was about to be broken, all thanks to her brother’s ego.

“Dragon Shot!”

Izuku landed a punch in Isabela’s gut, a ball of green energy in the Booster Gear’s hand. The masked Rook was sent flying back, being carried by the ball of energy, slamming into a tree.

Isabela gave a painful groan as she stood back up. However, she soon started the laugh. “That was great!” She looked at Izuku, a smile on her face. “I have to ask: Are those dragon wings a Quirk or are you really a dragon?”

“Uh, well, I’m actually part dragon,” Izuku said.

“Hmm, I see now. My master made a mistake then… And maybe I did as well,” she sighed, nodding downwards. “I acknowledge your victory. I retire.” The girl before him shone like the others before disappearing, but unlike them, there was a smile on her face.

_["Riser’s remaining Rook and his two remaining Pawns have retired."]_

“What?!” Ravel exclaimed. She was so focused on Isabela’s fight that she failed to see Koneko defeating Ni and Li with ease.

_*CLASH!*_

When the Yukinoha and Karlamine’s flaming broadsword clashed, the Kamar-Taj blade held strong, to Karlamine’s shock and interest. “That is an incredibly well-made sword,” she stated while getting ready to charge at him. “Where’d you get it?”

“I’m borrowing it from a friend,” Yuuto answered. A cold aura began to surround the Yukinoha. “And she’s ready to end this!”

_*CLASH!*_

The swords once again locked when Yuuto blocked Karlamine’s attack. Suddenly, the flaming blade froze and turned to ice, the flames included, before it shattered, falling apart like glass. “What?!” Karlamine exclaimed before noticing ice creeping up her arm. She wasn’t able to do anything about it as she was soon complexity encased in ice. She soon disappeared.

_["One of Riser’s Knights has retired."]_

As for Ochako, she found himself in a tight deadlock against Siris, who was trying to push her down with her sword. “I don’t plan on failing Riser,” said the Knight.

“Same,” Ochako retorted. “I don't plan on disappointing Buchou either, and you’re not gonna stop me.” Siris grinned as she used her sword to create strong winds to push her back. Ochako, however, stood her ground as she kept her stance.

“Reflect!” A pink barrier appeared in front of Ochako right as Siris swung at her. The barrier managed to block the attack, but it cracked from the strain. _‘I gotta take her down now!’_ Ochako aimed her staff at Siris and focused all of her magic into it. “Waterza!” A torrent of water shot out of Ochako’s staff, hitting Sirius with incredible force. Mihae, who was giving support to Siris from behind, but hit by the blast as well. The attack sent the Knight Bishop flying back before they vanished.

_["Riser’s remaining Knight and one of his Bishops have retired."]_

Ravel stood there flabbergasted that all of her brother’s servants were taken down so easily. It was obvious that she severally underestimated the opposing team. Ravel paled as she realized that she was the only one left to deal with as the Red Dragon Emperor turned to face her. It was an awkward few seconds before Ravel said anything, “Well, I suppose it makes sense that Isabela, Siris, and Mihae couldn’t beat you. You’re quite the wild card,” she said, stepping back slightly as she prepared to retreat.

“Um… Thank you…?” Izuku blinked, unsure of what to say or do. “A-anyway, my name is Midoriya Izuku, Rias-san’s Pawn. What’s your name?”

Ravel blushed and turned her head with her arms folded on her chest, closing her eyes, “H-humph! I already know who you are, thank you very much! Either way, since you’ve already introduced yourself it should be only polite that I do the same.” She pulled on her skirt as she performed a curtsy. “My name is Ravel Phenex, Bishop of Riser Phenex and the youngest daughter of the Phenex Household, one of the 72 Pillars in the Underworld.”

Izuku blinked in surprise, “You’re a Phenex, too?” Guess that explained why they looked so much alike.

Ravel nodded, “Yes. My master is also my big brother, you see. But the only reason I joined his Peerage is because he said that he wants to fulfill his ‘Ultimate Harem’ dream. Something about needing a ‘little-sister type’ to make it happen.”

Izuku stared blankly at her for a moment, now understanding why all of his servants wore such… odd clothing. “You’re… brother has issues.”

“You don’t know the half of it.” Ravel sighed. She bit her lip nervously as she looked at him, “You’re… not going to fight me?”

“To be perfectly honest, you don’t look like you want to fight us,” Izuku told her. “Especially after you saw what we can do.”

Ravel continued to look at the Pawn, trying to stare him down as much as she could. Eventually, she sighed. “You’re right. You’re too strong for me.” She turned back and looked over at the school building, several yards away, “But as strong as you are, I doubt that even you can beat my brother, Red Dragon.”

**KA-BOOM!**

A large explosion was heard from the main school building. Smoke billowed and rosed into the air.

“What was that?” Ochako exclaimed, she and the others looking over toward the source.

Momo’s voice suddenly spoke through the com-link. _“Buchou! Ibara-san! Come in! What’s going on?”_

 _“Momo-san!”_ Ibara’s voice came from the com-link. _“Buchou was challenged by Riser, and now both of them are fighting. Please, we need help now!… Oh no!”_ Static cut-off Ibara’s voice as another explosion was heard.

“Ibara-san! Ibara!” Izuku called into the com-link. The only thing that prevented him from pain was the lack of Grayfia confirming Ibara’s defeat.

“Sorry to say this, but this is what my brother planned from the beginning,” everyone turned to Ravel as she spoke. “I have to admit, you people are scary. But in the end, you’re only as strong as your King. If she goes, then you go with her.”

Izuku grinned his teeth. She was right. Riser must’ve goaded Rias into fighting him somehow, and she fell for it. If Rias was defeated, then they instantly lose and be put under Riser’s authority. There was no way in heaven or hell he was letting that happening! “I’m going on ahead!” Izuku was about to take off when Yuuto stopped him.

“Izuku, hold on!” Izuku turned to Yuuto, just in time to catch his Flame Delete. “Take this. Help Buchou. We’ll go get Momo-san and catch up as soon as we can.”

Izuku looked to Yuuto, then to Koneko, then Ochako, before nodding. He then glanced at Ravel, who was still standing there with her arms crossed. It looked like she had no intention to interfere. Sighing, he turned back to his friends. “Alright. Wish me luck.” And then, he turned back to get to the old school building.

“It’s too dangerous to go alone! Take this!” Izuku turned around and quickly caught something thrown at his face. Opening his hand, he saw the familiar vial of Phoenix Tears.

“Ravel-chan?” He blinked, looking at the girl.

“D-d-don’t get the wrong idea,” Ravel huffed shyly, turning her head, “My brother is the immortal phoenix after all. If he beat you in the state you're in now, it wouldn’t be fair.”

Izuku smiled before placing the bottle in his pocket. “Thank you.” Izuku took to the air and flew as fast as he could to where the explosion had come from.

“Wait, why isn’t he taking the vial?!” Ravel asked.

“He wants to give it to Buchou, that’s why fried chicken,” Koneko answered as she and the others followed Izuku.

It took a second for Ravel to process what the white-haired devil said. “DID SHE JUST CALL ME A CHICKEN?!”

 

* * *

 

**BOOM!**

Up on the main building rooftop, Rias shot several volleys of her destructive power. Her opponent countered everything she threw at him with fireballs of his own or simply allowed her attacks to hit him so that his limbs would regenerate from the disintegration. It wasn’t entirely one-sided though, as Ibara was several feet away.

Her vines tunneling underneath them, they would burst from the ground to block Riser’s attacks. Riser grew increasingly angry every time Ibara blocked him with her vines. “WILL YOU STOP IT?!” He snapped.

Rias smirked. “I’ve never seen you so angry before, Riser. Planning to give up?”

Riser responded with a smirk of his own. “Not at all, my beloved. And don't worry, I look forward to defeating you and your servants, one in _particular_!”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself!” Rias told him in defiance. “You’ll have to go through me first before you lay a finger on any of them!” She then shot a beam of her destructive powers at him and cut Riser’s right arm off.

The blonde man chuckled at her attempts, seemingly unaffected by the attack. “Resign, Rias,” he told her, as flames came out of his severed arm to reform a new one, “I’m calling check. I know every move you’re going to make because I know you better that you think, my love.”

“Fuck off, Riser!” Rias shouted with a glare as she stepped forward. “You know nothing if you think I’m going to give up that easily! I’ll never give up! As a King, I’m ready for war!”

“You leave me no choice then,” raising his arm, a large magic circle of the Phenex Family appeared over Riser’s hand.

_*ROAR!*_

A large stream of fire rushed towards Rias and Ibara, the largest one yet. The redhead puts up another shield, but she was starting to struggle to hold her own against the end attacks of the Phenex. Then, right as the shield was about to fail…

“Rias!” Ibara leaped to Rias and pushed her aside, taking the full force of the flames.

“Ibara!” Rias cried. As the flames receded, a badly burned Ibara, all of her clothes torched and black, fell to the ground. She soon disappeared.

_["Rias’ Bishop has retired."]_

“Humph, that Bishop was so annoying,” Riser said, a smug look on his face. “I look forward to putting her in her proper place soon.”

Rias screamed in rage and frustration, sending large blasts of her destructive at his midsection, vaporizing him from the chest down. He stayed that way momentarily before flames gathered around him and formed everything that was destroyed good as new. That arrogant smirked pissed her off so much.

“This is checkmate, my dear Rias!” Riser boasted arrogantly, “Without your Bishop, you won’t be able to recover! There is still one way you can end this. All you have to do is take my hand and swear your love to me. You won’t need to suffer any more pain and humiliation that way!”

Rias gritted her teeth as she tried to struggle from her knees. Using so much of her power drained far faster than she expected. Her clothing was charred and burned from Riser’s flames and sweat was pouring down her face. However, she forced whatever strength she had to stand back up defiantly.

“Surely you… jest, Riser…” Rias said between her breaths, grinning proudly, “I’ve said it once… and I will say it again. The man I want to marry… is _not_ you.”

Riser’s face twitched and twisted into a scowl. Flaming wings appeared behind his back as the aura of the phoenix rose up behind him. “Is that so? My apologies then, but I’ll put an end to your stubbornness here and now, with the purifying flame of the almighty phoenix!” He raised his hands above his head as a large fireball grew out. With a roar, he shot it at Rias with full force. Unable to move from where she stood, Rias closed her eyes as the heat came closer.

But the flames never reached her. Opening her eyes, she found herself staring at the back of someone, with red dragonic wings and a teal jumpsuit. There were two black, curved horns, each over two inches long, coming from the sides of his fluffy green hair. On his left arm as a red gauntlet with a green gem. His right arm was pointing forward toward the flames, a red and black sword absorbing the fire and heat, embers flowing all around him.

Rias blinked slowly, “…Izuku?” she muttered in disbelief.

The boy turned to meet her with a kind smile. Surprisingly, his pupils had turned into cat-like slits. “Sorry I’m late, Buchou. But it’s okay. I’m here now.” Izuku had arrived to save Rias Gremory.

Rias stared in silence, taking in the sight before her. Right now, he seemed completely different. In some way, it reminded her of All Might’s debut video.

“Buchou? Hey, hey Buchou!”

Rias shook her head as her mind snapped back, “…W-what?”

“Are you okay? Can you move?” He asked her.

“Oh…” Rias held her head as she collapsed on her legs, “It seems… I’ve used a bit too much of my magic. I can barely move at all. Sorry, Izu. I got careless.”

Izuku smiled. “It’s okay. The others will be here soon.” He pulled out the vial from his pocket before giving it to her. “Here. You need this.”

Rias stared at the vial before her. “Is that… Phenex Tears? How did…?”

“I’ll explain later,” Izuku placed the vial in Rias’ hand. “Just take it and hang back,”he then glared at Riser. “I’ll deal with him.”

Rias, though reluctant, knew Izuku was right. They had come dangerously close to losing had he not arrived. She popped open the vial and gulped it down. Instantly, her wounds began to heal.

Riser looked bewildered that the Pawn managed to stop his fire so easily, but he regained his composure as he folded his arms. “I must admit, I’m impressed that you managed to blow away my flame like that. Though I feel I should really give the compliment to Rias’ Knight,” Riser said.

He looked at Izuku the same way one would look at a fly or a worm; no threat at all. He then turned to Rias, “You and your servants all managed to defeat my cute servants, Rias. Even Yubelluna, and no one has ever defeated her before. To reward you for your efforts, I will patiently wait for you to use the Tears and let the remainder of your servants to arrive here…” he then glared at Izuku. “After I burn your Pawn to ashes.”

Izuku, Flame Delete in hand, readied himself. “Go ahead and try.”

**[Boost!]**

“Gladly!” With that, Riser lazily waved a hand and set loose another wave of orange flames. Trusting in Rias to defend herself, Izuku charged ahead. The flames did sting, but he could manage. As Izuku rushed towards him, Riser only spread his arms in victory. “Come on, trash. Nothing you do can hurt me.”

_*SLICE!*_

Blood flew in the air. Rias watched in wide-eyed shock.

Izuku had diagonally slashed Riser from his right hip up to his left shoulder.

“GAH!” Riser cried out in pain, as he stubbed backwards a bit. He held his bleeding wound, gritting his teeth in both anger and pain. “You filthy low-life,” Riser glowed with a snarl, still feeling the pain of the slash. “What did you do to me?!”

“Nothing,” Izuku answered. “It’s just that this sword was made to cancel out flames, including the ones you use to regenerate.” He then rushed Riser.

“Izuku, no!” Rias begged.

Izuku didn’t get far when Riser suddenly appeared before him and grabbed him by the neck, instantly cutting off any air circulation. “You insult me, a noble of the House of Phoenix, boy?” He demanded spitefully. “I’ve had enough of you!”

Swinging his arm out, he threw Izuku over the edge of the top of the roof.

However, Izuku grabbed his arm when he let go, so that he could bring him down with him, shocking Riser, and making him also fall over.

But before he and Izuku could hit the side of the roof, Riser opened his flaming wings and stopped himself from falling. He then moved outwards and away from the roof, hovering towards an open court. Izuku tried his best to keep a grip on his right arm but could feel his hand slipping.

With a growl, Riser was able to get him to let go when he blasted him with a fireball. Izuku screamed in agony, as the attack also sent him speeding towards the ground. The result was a fiery explosion.

“Stop it!” Rias begged Riser, tears streaming down her face, but to no response. She wasn’t worried for the boy anymore. She was scared for him.

Riser grabbed Izuku by the neck and lifted him off the ground. The sudden choking hold made him drop the Flame Delete.

“I praise you for doing this well for a Pawn.” He said with his arrogant smirk, but he didn’t seem to be joking. His eyes carried a more serious look in them. His clothes and body looked worn, and his wings were smaller than before. “But it’s time to end this little contest.” Riser’s face changed to where his pupils were dilated, giving him a look that almost bordered on insanity. “I’m going to enjoy crushing the life out of you, and I _will_ make it hurt!”

“Riser, stop it!” Rias begged.

The Phenex looked to Rias. “Right, the reason you’re being so stubborn is because of him isn’t it?” He asked, getting his answer from how she didn’t respond. “If you truly care for him, then there is a way to save him: just surrender, my dear Rias.”

Rias was left shocked, unable to properly respond.

“Well, my beloved,” Riser asked, a slightly amused expression. “What’s it going to be?”

[ **_(My Hero Academia OST - You Say Run)_ ** ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYZIUtDAFIw)

Before she could answer, Izuku, with gritted teeth, yelled out. “Don’t listen to him, Rias!” He struggled to speak with his windpipe being tightly crushed, though he continued to glare at Riser.

“Ha! Do you have a death wish, Pawn? Face it, it’s over!”

“Not yet… I’m not giving up.” Izuku dug into his pocket and pulled out an object. Riser wasn’t able to see what it was, but Rias did. It was the bottle of holy water! “I won’t stop… Until I save Rias from you!”

**[Transfer!]**

As Izuku brought his arm back, the Boosted Gear glowed green, as the water in the bottle glowed bright gold.

_*SMASH!*_

Swinging his arm in an outwards arch, Izuku’s hand smacked into the right side of Riser’s head, smashing the bottle of holy water all over his head and face. The impact causing it to shatter on impact, and the water to disperse everywhere.

“UGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Riser screamed out in agony. His grip on Izuku’s neck was released, to give himself some distance, as the blonde man grabbed his face with both his hands. He howled under the painful effects of the holy water, as parts of his face had major burns and had steam coming off it.

Rias’ eyes widen in shock. _‘The holy water is severely depleting his stamina and mental strength! Even the Marquis can’t regenerate his mortal mind from something like this!’_ She realized that Izuku let Riser grab him, so he could get the chance to use the holy water. Tears began to swell in her eyes again. Only this time they were tears of joy. “Izuku, you little suicidal genius!”

The steam stopped, leaving Riser’s body in a weakened and worn-out state. He panted painfully as he glared at Izuku, “DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU’RE DOING!?” He ranted out. It was amazing he even had the strength to still stand. “RIAS AND I BELONG TOGETHER! OUR UNION HAS BEEN DECIDED! IT’S TRADITION! WHY WOULD YOU GET IN THE WAY OF OUR UNION!” He roared, throwing another fireball at Izuku.

Izuku wrapped his wings around himself, which protected him against the flames as it blew harmlessly around him. After the assault from the powered-up holy water, it was clear that Riser was losing. “I don’t give a damn about your so-called traditions and customs,” Izuku growled, unfolding his wings. “What matters is that you just don’t make her happy. That’s why I’m in the way.”

“Why aren’t you getting it?!” Riser shouted as he charged forward, feeling no other option but to fight Izuku fist to fist. He threw his fists at the boy, who stepped to the side, trapped Riser’s arm, and threw him into the ground, using the Phenex’s momentum against him. Riser staggered up, glaring hatefully at the Pawn. “This engagement is essential for the survival of our kind! It is for our future! Why is a selfish brat you like interfering with this?! Answer me!”

“Because you don’t deserve her!” Izuku shouted back. “All you’ll care about is treating her like some trophy and it makes her miserable! You don’t know the first thing about love!” Izuku took hold of Ibara’s old cross, wrapping it around his Boosted Gear. “I’m only going to say this once, Riser…” Izuku glared, readying another punch as green energy surrounded his body. “Never make Rias cry again! DRAGON SMASH!”

Izuku charged at Riser full speed, his fist colliding with the scarred face of Riser as hard as it could. The force sent Riser flying back, smashing against a wall that shattered upon impact. Izuku panted as he stared at where Riser hit. He didn’t see any movement, but he wanted to be ready just in case. Fortunately, he got his answer when Grayfia spoke.

_["Riser Phenex, the King, has retired. Victory of this Rating Game goes to Rias Gremory."]_

Breathing heavily, Izuku dropped the cross before he screamed with all his might. “AAAAAAAAH!” Izuku’s head then began to get dizzy, his legs going limp.

_*Boing!*_

He didn’t land on the ground, though. Instead, his head fell between two soft pillows, the owner of which was wrapping her arms around him. “Oh, Izuku… My adorable little Izuku… You saved my life…Thank you so much…” she whispered in his ear, tears of joy welling down her face.

Izuku, of course, was blushing in embarrassment from the fact that Rias was deliberately pressing his head against her bosom. But he just smiled as he returned the hug as best he could, hearing his teammates cheering behind them as they came closer.

Not far away in the air with her own set of flaming wings, Ravel Phenex stared in shock. “No way…” she whispered to herself. Her brother actually lost?! She frowned though, remembering that Riser did technically bring it upon himself with the way he was acting. It was bound to happen sooner or later, she just didn’t expect it to be like this.

She then turned to look at the boy who defeated him, Izuku. She hated to admit it, but she was impressed with his strategy. She was expecting Rias to have been their strategist, not her Pawn. Ravel then recalled that Rias was studying at U.A. High, Japan’s most revered hero school. _‘Does that mean the Welsh Dragon is going to be a hero someday?’_

Unbidden, bedtime stories and fairy tales of her childhood came to the forefront of her thoughts, and she blushed when she superimposed the boy… Izuku, cute freckles and all… into those stories. Ravel shook her head, trying to discourage herself from any fanciful thoughts. She had to go check on her brother. After that, she needed to speak with her mother.

 

* * *

 

A few minutes later, the ORC had returned to their real clubroom. Rias was sitting next to Izuku on the sofa, being sure to be as close to him as she could. Kyoka and Mizu were waiting for them, congratulating them on their victory.

“That sure was a risky gambit, Izuku. Nice job,” Yuuto smiled, shaking his head humorously.

“To be honest, I’m just surprised it worked,” Izuku admitted, looking up at Yuuto.

“Whatever the case may be, our Rating Game was the highest viewed one since the first,” Rias said with a wide smile. “We’ve already gotten feedback from various members of the royal families amazed by our performance. Some of you even got nicknames. Momo here is being called the ‘Princess of Thunder’.”

“Really!?" Momo flushed, while Kyoka smiled.

“I think it suits you,” Kyoka said.

“You got a new nickname too,” Izuku turned to Koneko. In an odd sight, the normally stoic girl was actually smiling at him. It was… cute. “Red Hero Dragon. It works for you. Good job,” she said, giving him a thumbs up.

“Red Hero…?” Izuku chuckled sheepishly.

“Izuku-san?” Izuku turned over to Ibara, who was perfectly fine. She was smiling, but her eyes were downcast. “You were amazing out there.”

“Hey it was a team effort, Ibara,” Ochako smiled. “We all had a hand in beating Riser and his team. Heck, it was because of you that we won. Buchou would've lost against Riser if you weren't there.”

“Ochako-san’s right. We’re all proud of you, Ibara-san.” Izuku nodded, causing Ibara to smiled back, the shine in her eyes returning. “Also… I need to apologize.” Ibara blinked as she looked at him, “I promise that I would protect you, that I would keep you safe. But then Riser took you out like that.” He bowed his head, “I’m so sorry.”

Ibara smiled and shook her head, “It’s alright. There’s nothing to apologize for. All that matters now is that we made it home together. Right?”

Izuku stood up and looked at her in surprise. He gave a smiling nod, “Right!”

The door to the clubroom opened up, and two separate groups walked inside. It was the Sitri peerage, followed by the newspaper club. “Sona, Kudelia. What a pleasant surprise,” Rias smiled. “What brings you here?”

“We just came to congratulate you on your first Rating Game victory,” Sona said, smiling back. “You all pulled off quite a show… especially with your Pawn, Midoriya.”

Izuku stumbled as he felt a hand slap against his back. Looking behind him, he saw Kudelia grinning cheekily at him. “I’ll say! You fried his goose real good, Izu!”

“Uh, thanks,” Izuku smiled awkwardly. He could still feel the sting of her hand.

“Midoriya-san,” Izuku looked up to see Milia smiling at him while blushing. “You were amazing.”

“Yeah! You should see what they’re saying about you in the undernet forums,” Saji added.

“Undernet?” Izuku asked.

“The Underworld’s Internet,” Rias clarified.

“The Underworld has internet?”

“Earth has progressed far,” Sona replied. “The humans have their internet so why shouldn’t we? We have Lord Beelzebub to thank for that. He’s very interested in things humans are creating nowadays.”

“Anyway, let’s hurry up and party to celebrate Rias’ first Rating Game!” Luciana suggested.

“A party?” Sona blinked, cocking her head.

“Why not?” She pulled out several cases from out of nowhere and flashed them out. “And I brought movies! Got musicals, anime, comedy, romance, horror, action, all the good stuff!”

“Sounds good!” A new voice suddenly said. “It’s been a long time since I saw a movie that was made in the human world.”

Kudelia comically dropped her discs in shock at the sound of the adult male voice. Everyone turned at the sound of the voice. Standing at the open space of the room under a dimming magic circle was a handsome man in his early 20s with short shoulder-length crimson hair and cyan eyes, making him strongly resemble Rias. He was dressed in an elaborate silver and grey robe with a large and elaborate gold shoulder-dress that stretched out like a set of eight wings. Standing at his side was Grayfia, who stood by impassive as ever.

“‘zechs!” Rias gasped. “W-what are you doing here?” She stuttered, a look of embarrassment appearing on her face.

“Hey, Ria-tan,” the man, Rias’ brother, winked.

The other devils in the vicinity quickly remembered themselves and got down on one knee and bowed their heads in respect, Mizu doing the same. Only Izuku, Ochako, Momo, Ibara and Kyoka looked around in confusion before releasing that they had to do the same, quickly doing as such. “Rise all of you. I’m not here as the Devil King tonight,” the man smiled kindly, raising his hand. Everyone stood up at his words.

 _‘This is Buchou's brother?’_ Izuku thought to himself, looking at the man as his face paled slightly. _‘He’s Lucifer, the Devil King?!’_

 _‘This is_ the _Devil King?’_ Ibara thought to herself as she stared at the man.

 _‘He’s not at all what I was expecting…’_ Kyoka thought.

“Isn’t it the duty of the big brother to support his younger sister?” Rias’ brother smiled humorously, “Oh, how cold you’ve become, Ria-tan~.”

Ochako began to shake, trying to surpass her laughter. _‘He calls Buchou such a cute nickname!’_

“But that’s… you can’t just… gah!” Rias groaned as she held her head.

 _‘I’ve never seen Buchou act like this before!’_ Momo thought in amazement.

“So, this is the Red Dragon Emperor I’ve heard so much about,” Rias’ brother smiled at Izuku, who visibly flinched.

“H-h-hai! M-my n-n-name’s M-M-Midoriya I-Izuku, sir!” He stuttered.

“Please, there’s no reason to be scared.” Rias’ brother extended a hand in friendship. “Nice to meet you. My name is Sirzechs Lucifer, formally known as Sirzechs Gremory, one of the Four Satans of the Underworld and Rias’ older brother.”

“R-right! P-pleasure t-t-to m-meet you.” Izuku shook Sirzechs hand. _‘He’s a lot friendlier than I was expecting.’_

“The pleasure is all mine,” Sirzechs said, retracting his hand.

“Marquis and Lady Phenex were very unpleased with the results of the Rating Game. But due to the arrangement of the wager, they had no other choice but to call off the engagement,” Grayfia said. “You’re a free woman now, milady.”

“Give my sincerest apologies to them,” Rias nodded, giving a relaxed sigh, “I know they meant well, but their third eldest son just wasn’t the man I was looking for.”

“There’s no reason to apologize. In fact, Marquis Phenex wanted to thank you, Welsh Dragon,” Sirzechs said.

“Eh?”

“He said that Riser needed a good lost,” Sirzechs continued. “‘He had a bad habit of overestimating the abilities of our family, so I’m sure he leaned quite the lesson from the Rating Game. If he has learned that the Phoenix is not absolute, that would be enough.’ Those were the Marquis’ words.”

Izuku nodded. “So is Riser okay?” As much as Izuku didn’t like the guy, he’d feel bad if Riser was crippled because of him.

“I assure you, Riser is fine,” Sirzechs reassured. “It’ll take more than enhanced holy water to take down a Phenex.”

Izuku sighed in relief, glad that Riser will be okay. He still considered him a prick, though.

“Very good. Now then,” Grayfia bowed before turning to Sirzechs. “Milord, it’s time for us to depart.”

“But Grayfia, can’t we stay at least for a little bit?” Sirzechs practically whined, a feat unbecoming of a Devil King. The maid frowned as she reached up and pitched his cheek, pulling it hard. “Owowowow, dat hwurts!”

“Now, Milord,” Grayfia demanded. And Sirzechs had no other choice but to comply as the magic circle glowed again and teleported both Sirzechs and Grayfia away.

“…What the hell just happened?” Kyoka asked.

 

* * *

 

And thus, the three Peerages celebrated that night. Turns out one of the movies Kudelia had brought along was _Alien_. Kyoka, who apparently doesn’t like anything scary, occasionally had to shut her eyes and squeeze grab onto someone’s arm, the most often one being Momo, though she did grab Izuku’s once. Needless to say, a lot of stuttering and glares resulted from that. Still, it was a very good time and everyone enjoyed themselves. It was a great night to be a devil.

Eventually, everyone had to return home for the evening. Izuku volunteered to stay behind to clean up. It seemed like a lot to do at first, but the work went by quicker than he expected. Putting the last of the junk in the garbage bag, he sighed as he tied the bag up.

Once he finished, Izuku made his way to the door. Just as he walked to the clubroom door, the door opened and a figure with familiar crimson hair stepped in.

“Izu?” the figure asked, blinking.

“Buchou? You’re still here?” Izuku greeted.

Rias stepped inside and closed the door behind her. “Thought you could use some help cleaning up… but it looks like you already took care of that.”

“Yeah, it wasn’t that much,” Izuku said, rubbing the back of his head.

The room suddenly fell into silence. The sole occupants fidgeted awkwardly, the faces blushing as they looked away from each other shyly. Both were unsure of what they wanted to say next. And then, they spoke up.

“Izu/Buchou…!”

Both blinked in surprise, both caught off guard from how they called each other’s names all of a sudden. They blushed brighter, looking down at the floor in embarrassment. “Y-you first,” Izuku stuttered.

Rias looked at Izuku as she took a breath, “Um… I just wanted to thank you again…” Izuku cocked his head at her words. She gazed out the window as she continued talking, “My engagement to Riser has been a burden to me for a long time. I thought that my parents would never let me have free rein over my life; that I’d never be able to live the way I wanted.” Then she turned to gaze at Izuku, a beautiful smile and joyful tears on her face, “And then I met you. It’s thanks to you that I’m no longer betrothed to Riser. I can live by myself from now on because of you. Thank you.”

Izuku felt his cheeks heat up at her gratitude and her appearance under the moonlight. “I’m… I’m glad I could help,” he replied. Rias smiled at her bashfulness before her expressional slightly downed. She walked over to him and rested her hands against both sides of his head, pulling his face close to hers. “B-B-Buchou?” Izuku blinked, eyes widening.

“Izu…” Rias interrupted again, her voice in a hushed whisper. “I’m free, but only for now. With me being the daughter of the duke, there’s still the possibility that there will be another talk of engagement and more to come. When that time comes… will you fight by my side again?”

“Of course I will,” Izuku nodded, still blushing.

“Truly?”

“I’m your Pawn, right?” Izuku told her. “Even if I wasn’t and was still a normal human, I’ll just come and save you no matter what-!”

His words were cut off by Rias pressing her lips against his. The feeling of Rias’ lips on his made Izuku’s eyes widened and his whole head burn red. As she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against, Izuku slowly relaxed and closed his eyes as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Finally, she broke away from him. A saliva trail bridged the small gap between their mouths and flushes on their faces. “Bu… Buchou…” he managed to mutter, out of breath.

Rias giggled, the sly fox-like side of her showing, “That was your first kiss, wasn’t it?” Izuku was only able to nod. “It was mine too. Japanese girls treasure their first kisses, don’t they?”

“Y-yeah,” Izuku said, his brain still registering.

“Hm…” Rias licked her lips, a saucy look appearing in her eyes. “One more time, but with feeling.”

Izuku only had a moment to blink before Rias kissed him again, this time with intense passion as she pushed him against the wall. Rias’ tongue pried into his mouth, lapping the wet innards of his mouth, wrestling his tongue to submit to her. He could feel her tongue brushing up onto his. He could feel how soft and moist it was, how sweet it tasted. His mind shut down as he gave himself up to her, responding to her wiles.

The world disappeared around him and so there was only the hot French kiss. The feeling in muscles grew weak as he slid down on the wall, Rias quickly taking the opportunity straddle on his waist. They eventually pulled apart, the lips only centimeters apart. Their eyes opened half-way, Rias’ glowed in a dim red with black slits, while Izuku’s eyes glowed in a soft green with red slits. They rested their foreheads together as they smiled, enjoying each other’s company and warmth before continuing.

 

* * *

 

[Brat, you doing okay?]

…

[Izuku?]

Ddraig had grown concern for his partner once he returned home. Izuku was sitting alone in his bed, his knees held up to his chest as his mind was still something of a blur. It was only a short time after he had returned home that he realized he had his first kiss with a girl and Izuku didn’t seem to be handling it well.

“I-KISSED-A-GIRL!I-KISSED-RIAS-SENPAI!!I-mean-I-really-like-her-too-but-I-wasn’t- mentally-prepared-for-all-that!What-should-I-say?Is-it-too-early-to-tell-her-I-lo-lo-like-her-too?Is-that-going-to-make-things-weird?I-have-to-say-something!”

Ddraig sweat-dropped at his partner’s mumbling. It appears that an error has occurred with MidoriyaIzuku.EXE.

[This is going to be a thing for a while, isn’t it?] He groaned.

Izuku didn’t hear the dragon. All he could think about was that he had kissed his master. It felt like they were kissing for at least an hour and Rias was leading him along all the way. She even found a spot at the crock on his neck that made him completely mush in her arms. Without releasing it, he rubbed his fingers on the side of his neck, softly rubbing against a small red spot where she marked him. Maybe it was conditioning between master and servant or something else altogether, he didn’t know. But the kiss wasn’t the only thing on his mind.

First Ibara, then Ochako, now Rias! Ever since he became a devil girls had been falling for him one after the other. He had noticed that Ibara seemed slightly protective, and Ochako would occasionally blush when near him, but Rias kissing him like that confirmed it. This was just too much. Sure, he always found them attractive, but he never really thought much about getting into a relationship, even before he began training to get into U.A.

Lying in his bed, his mind went a million miles per hour, trying to come up with a solution. Sure, being in a relationship wasn’t uncommon among heroes, but not many actively pursue any or make it public knowledge. In fact, the only heroes he knew of that were in relationships was Endeavor. Though it was likely lots of heroes were keeping their relationships out of the public eye.

[Hurry up and get some sleep, brat. You’ll need it.]

Having finally heard Ddraig, Izuku took his advice and closed his eyes, his last thoughts before sleep took him being filled with both excitement and fear of his love life.

 

* * *

 

The next day, a large number of boxes were outside the Midoriya apartment. The reason why made itself clear as Rias talked to Inko. “And that about sums it up. I will now be living here from today onwards,” Rias said, bowing towards Inko from her seat, “I’ll be in your care from now on.”

Inko simply sat there, trying her best to process this. “Of course…” Inko replied, albeit with an awkward smile. “The pleasure is all mine, Rias-chan. It’s just… First Ibara, then Ochako, now you… This is a little much for me. Not that I don’t mind the company, but is there any particular reason for you moving in?”

Rias took a small sip of her tea and smiled, “I just want to be closer with my kouhai. Is that so bad?” She leaned into Izuku, who began to blush while Ibara and Ochako glared at Rias.

“You’ve become very fond of my son, Rias-chan,” Inko commented, looking at both Izuku and Rias.

“I suppose I have,” Rias answered happily. “The truth is that he helped me out of a jam recently and I can’t tell you how grateful I am for that.”

Once they finished talking, the four teens began to bring in Rias’ belongings. All 20 boxes worth. “How are we gonna fit all this in the apartment?” Ochako asked.

“We’ll find a way,” said Rias.

Ibara puffed her cheeks as she carried a couple of boxes in. “At this rate, polygamy made be the only option,” she muttered. “But that goes against the teachings of the Lord… but if this continues, then…”

“Uh, Ibara-san, what are you talking about?” Izuku asked.

Ibara immediately blushed. “How much did you hear?” she asked.

“Only about it being against the teachings of the Lord part,” he answered.

“Then it’s nothing,” she huffed, turning away.

“That’s right, Hisashi! One girl after the other!” Inko spoke through her phone as she watched the four teens bring in Rias’ belongings. “I honestly don’t know what to do…”

“Izuku,” Rias called. “Once we finish, how about we have a shower together? I’ll wash your back.”

“Huh?” Izuku blinked, quickly turning to her.

Once Inko heard this, she began to pale. “Ri-Rias-chan just offered to wash Izuku’s back…”

Ibara fumed as she quickly went to hug Izuku’s arm, “Hey! I don’t want to be left out! I’m washing his back too!”

“Huh!?” Izuku exclaimed again, turning to Ibara.

“I’m not letting either of you wash his back without me!” Ochako exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around Izuku from behind.

“Huh!?!”

Inko’s already paling face began to become pure white. “Think of a solution, quick!” she yelled into the phone. “The other girls all offered to wash Izuku’s back!”

“Ohohoho, is that right?” Rias laughed humorously, hugging Izuku’s free arm and being extra sure to squeeze it between her breasts, “Ibara-chan, Ochako-chan, is this a declaration of war? Challenge accepted then. Whoever wins gets to sleep with Izu-kun.”

“HUH?!?!” Izuku shouted for the fourth time, looking back and forth at Ibara, Ochako, and Rias.

Inko, with a mortified look, yelled into the phone. “SEX EDUCATION! OUR SON NEEDS SEX EDUCATION!!” She promptly fainted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sigh* I stand corrected: THIS is the longest chapter yet! AND IT’S FINALLY DONE!!! *comically collapses due to exhaustion*
> 
> I think the hardest part about this chapter were the scenes with Riser and Yubelluna. Trying to stay true to both series yet be original is not easy.
> 
> At least Rias has officially moved in with Deku! And it looks like one little Phenex has developed a crush on our dragon boy. Poor Inko, though. She’s not yet ready to handle so many girls in her son’s life, though that probably doesn’t mean she’s not ready for grandkids to spoil. (By the way, the last scene was in part inspired by Rosario + Vampire, where Tsukune’s mom was calling his dad about the girls as they ran out of the house.)
> 
> I’ve also decided to share a list of the girls who will be in Izuku’s harem. It won’t include every girl I currently have in mind and is subjected to change, of course: Rias Gremory (main girl), Shiozaki Ibara, Uraraka Ochako, Yaoyorozu Momo, Tokage Setsuna, Jiro Kyoka, Xenovia Quarta, Ravel Phenex, Asui Tsuyu, Melissa Shield, Hatsume Mei, Toujou Koneko, Milia Takamaki (OC), Kendo Itsuka, Hadou Nejire, and Ashido Mina (16 out of 23, at least!)
> 
> Anyway, next chapter we’ll finally be moving back into MHA canon with the start of U.A.’s first semester! Wonder who we’ll see?
> 
> I hope you all look forward to when we get to U.A. See you next time. PLUS ULTRA!
> 
> EDIT: Did a retcon here involving Momo. Originally she used One For All to beat Riser's Queen, but after some thinking, I decided to change it to her and Izuku working together.


	19. The First Step

Morning arrived and Izuku was sound asleep. The rising sun shined on his face, causing him to stir slightly from the brightness. Mumbling in his sleep, he turned over from the sun’s rays and planted his face into a soft pillow.

“Hahn…”

The boy flinched as he heard a soft moan next to him. Opening his eyes, he found himself staring into two pink circles connected to milk-colored balls. “Huh? What is…?” Izuku whispered, his eyes widening slightly. A pair of slender arms suddenly looped around his head and pulled him closer into the strange pillow. His face turned a familiar shade of crimson, realizing too late what the ‘pillows’ really were.

_‘BBBBBBOOOOOOOBBBBS~!’_

His eyes widened and bulged out, realizing that the boobs his face was pressed against were Rias’. The girl slowly shifted in her sleep, stirring as she sat up to reveal all her glory and opened her eyes. Blinking, she looked down at Izuku’s eyes and smiled.

“Good morning, Izu-kun,” Rias smiled.

“G-g-g-good m-m-morning…” Izuku greeted shyly, not moving due to shock. “W-why are you in my bed? N-n-n-na-naked? A-again?”

“What? Don’t you like having a cute girl sleeping in bed with you?” Rias pouted playfully, squeezing her breasts with her arms to make them swell out.

“It-it isn’t like that!” Izuku blushed, looking down, “I-It’s… w-w-well…”

Rias just laughed as she rubbed Izuku’s head, “Oh, Izu. Has anyone told you how adorable you look when you’re flustered like that?” She relaxed as she positioned herself over him. “It’s a lot easier for me to sleep in the nude, it’s comfortable that way.”

“T-t-that’s n-not the m-m-main i-i-i-i-issue…”

Rias giggled, “Ufufufu. I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to sleep with my favorite hug pillow.”

 _‘Hug pillow?’_ Izuku felt his shoulders being pressed down onto the bed. Rias pinned him down on the shoulders as she climbed onto his waist. “W-w-wha-what are you…?” he asked shyly.

“You know Izu, we still have some time,” Rias said in a soft purring voice that made him shiver, slowly stroking his chin as she bent down, her breasts pressing on his chest. “Do you think if something sexy were to happen right now it’ll help communications with my beloved servant?” To seal the deal she planted a small kiss on his neck.

Izuku’s thoughts began to go haywire as he tried to rationalize what was happening. “I-I-I-I…” he stuttered.

“Then you want me to take a go at you?” Izuku gasped as he looked up at her charming face, “It’s alright. Let’s have fun together, okay?”

Blushing, Izuku’s body began to move on its own, his and Rias’ face just inches apart as they were about to kiss…

A sudden knock on the door interrupted them. “Are you up yet, Izuku-san? It’s almost time for you to start your morning training~!” Ibara called through the door in a sing-song voice.

“And we have orientation today. We can’t be late,” Ochako called.

“Oh shoot, I completely forgot about that,” Rias realized, bopping herself on the head.

“Izu-kun, can you hear us? Are you up yet?”

Izuku’s eyes widened as he realized that he couldn’t let Ibara or Ochako see him with Rias like this. He had to come up with some way to make sure they don’t open the door. “I’m up!” Izuku called over, “Just give me a sec!”

Then Rias, with a mischievous smile, said, “Ibara-chan, Ochako-chan, can you give us a minute? I’m still in bed with Izu-kun and we have to get ready.”

Izuku froze as he turned to Rias in a look of mock betrayal. The devil was smiling back at him with a playful look in her eyes. _‘She did that on purpose!’_ That was when the door swung open. Ibara stood there with a stunned face, tears in her eyes, while Ochako’s eyes were stark white.

“I hope you’re both doing well today,” Rias greeted happily.

“IT’S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!” Izuku exclaimed.

Ochako simply looked on, still stunned at the sight of both of them in the bed with the president in her birthday suit. Ibara, however, began to pull her shirt over her head, “Whatever it is I’m taking off my clothes too!” she declared as she stripped herself of her shirt and removed her bra, leaving her breasts left to bare.

“He-hey!” Ochako exclaimed. “If you’re doing it, then so am I! I’m not gonna be left out either!” she declared as she began to strip also.

 _‘Why is this happening?!’_ Izuku mentally screamed.

 

* * *

 

After the debacle this morning, Izuku, Rias, and a still fuming Ibara and Ochako finished their morning training before returning to the apartment to clean and get dressed in their U.A. uniforms. Once dressed, Rias began to make breakfast. Despite Inko’s insistence that she didn’t need to do house chores, Rias was adamant in helping out around the apartment just like everyone else. The meal before them was one such example.

“So good,” Inko complimented as she finished the miso soup Rias had made. “You’re a great cook, Rias-chan.”

“Yeah. This rice is really great.” Izuku agreed as he enjoyed the breakfast. Something he found out when she started living with them was that Rias was an expert at cooking Japanese food, western food, and Chinese food. She had a wide range of cooking skills and can cook food of the finest quality. He honestly thought she would be bad at these kinds of things because of her upbringing, but it turned out to be the opposite. Living in the human world for as long as she's been doing must have paid off.

“Why thank you,” Rias said with a warm smile from the other side of the table where she sat right next to Izuku.

Izuku blushed a bit in response. Ibara, who was sitting on the other side of Izuku, pouted in jealousy at how much attention he was giving Rias. She closed her eyes and wiped her head away, before pinching Izuku’s right arm and twisting, causing him to cringe in pain. When she let go, he was about to ask why she did that, only to notice the way Ochako was looking at him from across the table, her eyes covered in the shadow of her hair.

Izuku gulped nervously, deciding to drop the issue. Ever since the three girls moved in, each had settled into a sort of role to help in the apartment. When Ibara first moved in, she originally tried to help with the cooking. The result was a lot of smoke, burnt black eggs and juice (somehow), and reassuring the fire department. Ibara settled with doing laundry after that.

Ochako certainly did help with the cooking occasionally, having learned to do so since she lived on her own for a bit. Mostly, though, she helped Inko with the shopping, finding the best items at the cheap stores and other ways to save money. However, she couldn’t compete with Rias. While Ochako wasn’t a bad cook, per se, the redhead just seemed to make everything she cooked delicious.

“While I am grateful that you and the other girls help with the chorus, I do wish you keep quiet in the morning.” Once Inko said this, the girls and Izuku all stopped eating and blushed.

“You… heard what happened this morning?” Izuku asked, mortified.

“The walls aren’t that thick,” Inko pointed out. “I know you girls can’t help yourselves, but at least try to wait until after you graduate before giving me grandchildren.”

The teens suddenly lost their appetites.

 

* * *

 

A few minutes later and the four were riding the train to U.A. High. After a couple of stops, they arrived at the platform that serviced U.A., meeting Momo, Kyoka, Koneko, and Yuuto along the way. A couple of other U.A. students also got off the train with them.

Izuku blushed a little when a young boy pointed at him and the rest of the U.A. students as his mother was leading him onto the train. “Wow, Mommy, look! U.A. students! Are they all future heroes?”

“Some of them will be.” The mother answered.

Due to the uniforms, it was almost impossible to tell U.A. hero course students apart from students of the other three major departments: General, Support, and Business. Speaking of…

“Koneko-chan, why are you wearing a U.A. uniform?” Ochako asked. Koneko was wearing a school uniform nearly identical to U.A. High’s, the only difference being that the gray blazer was replaced by a gray jacket and it larked the tie.

“…It’s the first day for U.A. Middle School.”

“Huh?”

“Oh, right. I heard about that,” said Izuku. “Apparently, U.A. decided to adopt an Escalator system last year. While U.A. High will remain the main school, there’s now an Elementary school, Middle school, and a college.”

“My father had a hand in that,” said Rias. “He originally wanted me to stay at Kuoh Academy, but I was adamant about attending U.A. Good thing, otherwise we wouldn’t have met!” Rias playfully took hold of Izuku’s arm, pressing it against her breast, causing the boy to turn red while Ibara and Ochako glared in jealousy.

It was just a short walk up the road to the U.A. campus, and from here it became easier to start telling students apart, at least by year. While the first years seemed to be equal parts nervous and excited, the upperclassmen were hanging around within their friend groups, chatting to each other about their end of year break.

Koneko went to a newly made pathway toward the middle school, the teens wishing their kouhai a good first day before heading inside. “Do you think Shitori-senpai got us on the same homeroom?” Kyoka asked.

“One way to find out,” Rias walked to the bulletin board, where lists for all of the classes for the different departments were posted.

“So what class is everyone in?” Momo asked. Everyone else looked over the bulletin board, trying to find their names. “I’m in 1-A.” She told everyone.

“Same here,” Kyoka said.

“I also got into 1-A!” Ochako said happily.

“I’m in 1-A as well,” said Izuku. “What about you, Ibara-san?” He asked, only to frown when he saw the sad look on Ibara’s face. Following her eyes, Izuku saw Ibara’s name to in 1-A, but 1-B.

“1… 1-B…,” she said sadly.

“You’re not going to be in the same class as us?” Ochako asked, wanting to make sure she heard right.

“It’s okay, we can still have lunch together,” placated Izuku. “And our assignments should be similar to each other that we can study together.”

“Right,” Rias added. “And from what I heard, they’ll be plenty of times where both her course classes will train together. Besides, you spend plenty of time with him at home.”

Ibara brightened up a bit upon hearing that. She was sad she won’t be in the same class as Izuku and mad that one of her ‘love rivals’ is, it wasn’t the end of the world.

“We should get to our respective classrooms,” Momo said. “It would be bad to be late on the first day of class.”

The others agreed and quickly went into the school building. After saying goodbye with Ibara and Rias, for now, Izuku, Momo, Ochako, and Kyoka headed to their new classroom.

It didn’t take long for them to find the classroom in question. It was a large door that almost reached the ceiling with 1-A written on it in red. Kyoka whistled at the sight of the large door. “Geez, there’s gonna be some tall people in here.”

Izuku gave a nervous nod and swallowed a lump in his throat. “Yep, some of the most promising students in the country are behind that door…”

“Well, why keep them waiting?” Ochako asked.

Izuku, Kyoka, and Momo nodded, seemingly approving of what she had in mind. Ochako gave them a toothy smile and opened the door to…

“Take your feet off the desk immediately!”

“Huh?!”

Sadly, they opened the door to see the one person they weren’t looking forward to seeing. They watched as the class 1-A students Iida Tenya and Bakugo Katsuki argue over the matter of… Bakugo leaning his feet on the desk. As the four watched the scene unfold, only one thought came into their heads…

_‘Lucky Ibara…’_

As the two continued to argue, they stopped when they noticed the three standing in the door. “It’s you…” Iida muttered as he looked at Izuku, making him flinch. Meanwhile, Bakugo just sent a glare to the group which Ochako returned. Iida, noticing the way Izuku flinched, swiftly said, “I wanted to apologize, I completely misjudged you then when it was clear you figured out there was more to the exams then I did. You are clearly a far superior student to me!” He said dramatically, his arms making a chopping motion.

“The robot arms might be a bit much, dude,” another voice spoke. Looking towards the source of the voice, Izuku saw that it was the duel-toned boy from the lecture hall. He too was wearing the standard U.A. uniform, though it was sloppy and he still had the belts. But at least it still has the tie, unlike Bakugo’s. “Good to see you made it. Oh, I’m Kido Hyde, by the way. Just call me Hyde if you want.”

“I’m Iida Tenya,” the spectacle boy greeted.

“Jiro Kyoka.”

“Yaoyorozu Momo.”

“Uraraka Ochako!”

“And I’m Midoriya Izuku. It’s very nice to meet you.”

“Midoriya!” Some of the students gasped. When all of the students received their acceptance into U.A., they had been given only their scores. Since then, the scores for the practical exam had become public knowledge to the students. Any student could look up the final scores for every other student. And those students who had looked up that information knew that Izuku had won the top score in the practical exam. Mostly from his crazy amount of rescue points rocketing up to the top on their own.

The duel-toned boy stared at him for a moment. He had probably seen the scores. But then he smiled and clapped Izuku on the shoulder. “So you’re the top scorer, huh? Good job. I have no idea what you did to get so many rescue points, but it obviously worked out for you.”

Izuku blushed a bit and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “There’s no reason to make it such a big deal.” After everything that happened with Riser, Izuku had honestly forgotten that he scored first place.

However, one of the students in the room narrowed his eyes at Izuku upon hearing his name. Like Hyde he had dual-colored hair, only it was split vertically, his right half being white and the left red. He also had dual-colored eyes with the right eye gray and the left eye blue. He also had a burn scar over his left eye. _‘So… he’s the one who got first on the entrance exam…’_ He thought as he starred at the green-haired teen.

He wasn’t the only one. Another student’s attention was drawn from her book to Izuku upon hearing this. She has long, dark red hair that reached down to her waist, pale skin, deep violet eyes, and a bust that could rival Momo’s. Izuku didn’t look that impressive, but based on some of the stories her father told her, looks can be deceiving.

As some of the students were getting to know each other, they failed to notice that _something_ had made its way to the classroom door.

“If you just came here to make friends you can pack your things now.”

Izuku, Iida, Ochako, Momo, Kyoka, and Hyde all froze. Izuku leaned around Ochako and saw… a human-sized larva with a human face laying on the floor of the hallway. Or, rather, it was an adult male in a bright yellow sleeping bag.

Possibly their teacher, or at least some authority figure.

All of the students rushed to their seats. It was assigned seating, which had been given to each student with their classroom assignment. As quickly as possible, Izuku counted rows until he spotted his seat. Four rows over and third seat back. Izuku barely noticed that Bakugo happened to be in the seat right in front of his, while Momo was at the back of his row. Ochako was across the room in the last seat of the first row, Iida sitting in front of her. Kyoka was in the row next to Izuku’s, having the unfortunate pleasure of sitting next to Bakugo. A few seconds later, all of the students were seated quietly.

The larva man stood up while still inside his sleeping bag. “It took eight-seconds for you to get to your seats and be quiet. That’s not going to work at all. Rational students would know better.” He stepped outside of his sleeping bag. “I’m Aizawa Shota, your homeroom teacher.”

While most of the people blinked in shock, Izuku narrowed his eyes. He had a rather vast knowledge of most pro heroes, being able to recognize most of them by a glance, but this pro wasn’t someone he was familiar with. Or rather, he couldn’t recognize him from the top of his head.

He stood at the front of the classroom, glanced over each of them briefly before he spoke again. “Now then, we have a lot to do. You’ve all received your gym uniforms, right? Put them on and meet me outside.”

Ochako nervously raised her hand. “Um… sir… aren’t we supposed to be going to orientation today?”

Aizawa met her eyes with a level gaze until she couldn’t meet his eyes anymore. “The orientation is nothing more than speeches, and a waste of time. U.A. doesn’t follow the normal curriculum, which means that I have permission to run my class however I want. We only have three years to turn you into pro heroes, and we can’t afford to let even a moment go to waste. Now, follow me to the locker rooms, change into your gym clothes, and meet me outside.”

 

* * *

 

“1-B, 1-B? Where is it?” Ibara asked herself as she walked through the halls of U.A. High School. After having to separate from Izuku and the others she’s been looking for the hero class 1-B… with little luck so far. She knew it was on this floor, somewhere. She just hoped she could find it before class begins. However as she was walking, she failed to notice someone right in front of her until she bumped into that person, sending them falling to the floor. “Ooow…” Ibara groaned.

“Oh my goodness, I’m sorry! Are you… okay? …Shiozaki-san?” A gentle female voice asked. Ibara looked ahead and saw a familiar face the typical U.A. uniform for girls.

“Takamaki-san?” Ibara asked.

“Milia, is something wrong?” Ibara looked up and saw Celica walking up to them. Unlike Ibara or Milia, Celica wore the blazer for her U.A. uniform as a cape, using a red string and snaps to keep it in place. “Huh? Oh, you’re Shiozaki, right?”

“Uh, yes,” Ibara answered as she stood up along with Milia. “I saw that got second in the entrance exam, Mercery-san. Are you in the hero course as well, Takamaki-san?”

“Yep!” Celica confirmed. “Milia here trained a lot so she can be with Mido-”

“Celiac-san! Please stop!” Milia whined, covering her friend's mouth.

Ibara, however, quickly realized what Celica was about to say. Though she didn’t show it outwardly, she was glaring at Milia. _‘Another love rival!’_

“Anyway, let’s get moving!” Said Celica. “Just leave the pathfinding to me!”

“Please, no!” Milia cried.

Just then they heard footsteps ahead of them and look to see one of the teachers of U.A. He had a cowboy look to him as seen from the cowboy hat with an S on it that he was hearing as well and the red cape he had and the belt around him which had a gun in one of its pouches as well as the boots which had spurs on them. He also seemed to have an old school gas mask covering his face.

Ibara wasted no time in walking up to the pro and getting his attention. “Um excuse me, sir, do you know where Class 1-B is?”

“Yep,” he answered as he looked between Ibara, Milia, and Celica. “I’m guessing you three are here for the hero course?” The three students nodded their heads in response. “Well, just go down this hall then make a left. The door is the 2nd on the right and has 1-B written in red on it. Can’t miss it.”

The three bowed to him and said ‘Thank you sir’ before going off in the directions he’d instructed. Though Milia had to stop Celica from turning too early. “Hm, except for that girl's sense of direction, this bunch of first years looks promising.”

Sure enough, the Pro was right and the three devils found themselves in front of the door to class 1-B. Milia felt some sweat roll down his forehead as he made an audible gulp. Ibara noticed and asked. “Are you alright?”

Milia flinched a bit before laughing sheepishly, readjusting her glasses. “I’m just nervous. We’re about to meet humans with amazing Quirks who are trying to become heroes like us. And all of them have bee training for longer and harder than me…” she admitted.

Celica then put a hand on Milia’s shoulder. “It’s okay to be nervous. If you want, we can walk in together.”

“…Yes, please.”

Ibara gigged as Celica opened 1-B’s door. The classroom was basic looking, having 20 desks in total, and was partly empty. The only other people in the room were sitting near the door. One Ibara recognized right away. “Kendo-san!” She called.

“Hey, Shiozaki,” Itsuka greeted. “Glad to see you made it.”

“Likewise,” Ibara nodded.

“Who’s your friend?” Celica asked. Ibara explained to her and Milia about how she and Itsuka meet during the entrance exam and how they helped each other.

After Ibara finished introducing Itsuka to Milia and Celica, the red-head did the same for the other girls in the room, “These are my friends, Kodai You and Tokage Setsuna.”

Yui had shoulder-length, bob-shaped hair, side-swept to her right with some shorter strands hanging above her eyes. She has fair skin, an athletic build, cerulean eyes, and she's usually seen wearing a neutral expression on her face.

Setsuna, meanwhile, had wavy, dark moss green hair that reached down to her shoulders and dark green eyes. “What’s up?” Setsuna greeted with a big grin, showing off her long and pointed teeth. Yui nodded for her greeting.

“It’s very nice to meet both of you. I hope we can work well together in class.” Ibara greeted them with a bow. She then took her seat, Milia sitting next to her while Celica took the seat behind Milia. It wasn’t long before the next student showed up. This one was a boy that had a headband on his head that was white with blue patterns holding up long spiky hair. He also had gray eyes.

“Hi, nice to meet you.” Itsuka greeted, in the same manner she did to Ibara and the others. The boy didn’t say anything but gave the girls a small smile and wave.

“Mind telling us your name?” Setsuna said as she rested her head on her hand.

“Awase Yosetsu,” he answered before sitting in the last desk of the second row.

“Huh, strong silent type, huh?” Setsuna whispered to Itsuka with a smirk, making the orange hair girl roll her eyes and smile.

Just then another boy came into the classroom. This boy had light brown hair and oval-shaped eyes that were colored black. After being greeted by Itsuka and Setsuna, he gave them a toothy smile and a wave. “Sup, the name’s Tsuburaba Kosei. Great to meet ya!”

“Great to meet ya as well, dude,” Setsuna said casually making Tsuburaba look at her with a smirk.

“Just know that I plan on coming out on top in this class,” He said with a competitive smirk. "So you better give it all ya got because I plan on giving even more.”

Setsuna couldn’t help but return the smirk as she looked him in the eyes. “Just try not to get left behind.” She said with a wink.

Tsuburaba couldn’t help but chuckle in return as he went to sit down. “Ohohoho, it's on now!” He said playfully before sitting in a seat adjacent to Ibara’s. It wasn’t long before he noticed the vine-haired girl. _‘Holy crap, she’s cute!’_ Swiping his hair back, he called out to her, “Hey, uh, what’s your name?”

Ibara looked chiefly at him. “Shiozaki Ibara?”

“Name’s Tsuburaba Kosei. So… do you wanna grab something to eat after class is over?” Tsuburaba offered.

“That’s very kind, but I’m afraid I have to decline,” Ibara told him. “…For my heart belongs to someone else.”

Tsuburaba felt like his heart had been stabbed. “Oh… okay…”

Setsuna immediately perked up, happening to overhear. “Ohhhh~! Do tell!” Setsuna leaned near Ibara, who began to blush.

“Oh, she and Milia are crushing on Midoriya Izuku,” Celica said happily.

 _‘WHY?!’_ The two girls screamed internally.

Tsuburaba began to blush when he heard that. _‘Threesome…’_

As Setsuna began to grill both Ibara and Milia, the next student came into the room. It was a girl with gray hair with bangs covering her left eye leaving her right eye showing that it was blue. She walked with an odd posture with her elbows to the side and her hands dangling.

The girl’s expression remained the same as Itsuka greeted her. “Yanagi Reiko,” she said in an emotionless tone before going to sit down in the seat in front of Awase.

Just then the next person who came in was rather bizarre looking. It was a male that was tall and slender. His skin was a yellow-green color and he had bright green hair in a Mohawk. He has bright green eyes that are pointed downward. He had no visible nose and also had two hook-like blades on each of his cheeks.

“Hi, my name is-” However before Itsuka could finish her greeting, the boy walked past her while intentionally bumping against Itsuka's shoulder and pushing the girl back. “Hey!”

The boy didn’t respond and simply sat in the middle chair of the chair behind Tsuburaba and rested his feet on top of the desk. “I don't give a damn.” He told them with a snarky grin.

Tsuburaba turn around and looked at the boy. “Geez, at least give us a name dude.”

“Fuck off.”

Ibara and Milia took an immediate dislike to him. His attitude reminded them of Bakugo’s.

“Geez, what's with the attitude?” Setsuna muttered under her breath.

“Sorry about him, he’s always been like this.” Another male's voice suddenly came in. The voice made the green-haired boy growl as the girls turned around to see a boy with pale skin and ash-blond hair that was a paler shade then Bakugo’s. His face resembled a skill with his teeth showing and no visible lips and angular eyes. “Honenuki Juzo,” he greeted. “Personality-san’s name would be Kamakiri Togaru.”

“Fuck off, Skullface,” Kamakiri growled.

As time went on, the other students of 1-B came in and introduced themselves. There were some rather strange looking students like Fukidashi Manga and Kuroiro Shihai. The rather shy ones like Komori Kinoko. The nice ones such as Rin Hiryu and Shishida Jurota. And the plain ones like Kaibara Sen.

As the desks in the classroom started filling up, another student came running in, stopping to catch her breath. She was a girl with a round face, and big blue eyes and was rather on the shortish side. She had thick wavy blond hair with two big horns on top of her head. She also has a short horse-like tail and her calves also resembled that of a horse’s and brown hooves for feet.

“< _I’m so sorry if I’m late. My alarm clock busted and I had to hurry here and I may have also gotten a little lost I just hope no one’s angry with me!_ >” She said… in English.

…The entire class was silent as they stared at her. The only ones who weren’t were Honenuki, Ibara, Celica and Milia. The later three understood her, thanks to the devil’s gift of tongues, having heard her in Japanese. Honenuki, however, simply smiled and looked at the girl. “< _Hey, why don’t you take a deep breath and calm down a bit, you’re kinda speaking in English_ >,” he told her.

The girl blushed in embarrassment before she smiled sheepishly. “Sorry… I tend to talk English when panicking.”

Shrugging it off, Itsuka walked in front of her with a smile. “Hey, don’t worry about it. Everything will be fine. I’m Kendo Itsuka.”

“Hi, my name Tsunotori Pony.” Pony said slowly. “I’m still getting handled on the… language, so please talk slow.”

“Sure thing,” Itsuka said.

“Sounds fine to me, you just need to relax girl,” Setsuna casually told her, making Pony blush more as she averted her gaze.

“Hehe, maybe you're right.” She said quietly making Itsuka and Setsuna giggle in response.

Pony began to converse with Honenuki in English, when…

"HELLO EVERYBODY!” A loud voice came in, startling everyone.

They all looked to the door to see another one of 1-B’s students. He was another male with messy gray hair and black eyes surrounded by thick and jagged tan colored substance. He appears to be lacking eyebrows and he had a mouth full of shark teeth.

Before anyone could say anything, the boy put his fist to his heart and spoke. “My name is Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu! And my goal here is for everyone in this classroom to be the manliest of manly heroes! We'll work hard, and train harder and be the greatest and manliest heroes in the world! AW YEAH!”

Everyone just stared blankly at him as he marched like a soldier to one of the remaining desks and sat down and sat upright and stared at the front of the room, seemingly waiting for class to start. _‘What cruel parents…’_

It was then that the footsteps of someone entering the room got everyone's attention again as they turned to the door. There they saw another male who had blond hair and blue eyes. He had a confident smirk on his face as he took a look at his classmates. “You know,” he began. “You’re lucky to have me here.”

“And why would that be?” Kuroiro asked in an unimpressed tone.

“Because I have enough brains and strength to carry everyone here.” He said which made several students roll their eyes. “You’ll see, I’ll make sure to lead this class till its name is known throughout Japan as the greatest hero class in the country.”

“Hell yeah!” Tetsu said as he stood up. “1-B will be the greatest heroes the world has ever seen!” He said determinedly as he put a first to his heart again.

“Remember the name Monoma Neito,” he introduced himself as he looked over the entire class. “Because that will be the name of the next Number One Pro Hero.”

After that, he sat in the first desk of the second row, making Itsuka shudder a little bit. _‘Aaaand, I’m going to be sitting next to him. Great…’_ Itsuka thought to herself as Setsuna patted her back. “Well, it looks we have everyone now.” She said.

“EVERYONE! IN YOUR SEATS!”

Everyone flinched at the powerful voice and wasted no time in sitting down in the seats that they chose and looked to the front of the classroom. Just then they saw one last person enter, the teacher and Pro Hero.

He appeared to be a tall and very muscular man. He had gray lightly spiky hair and had a yellow visor over his eyes. He also had visible canine teeth despite his mouth being closed. His costume is a skin-tight red bodysuit with a long U shaped collar going down to the middle of his chest with black trim. He also had matching black trim around his shoulders. His boots went above his knees and were white and he also had a three-piece metallic belt that goes down a bit at the center. Finally, he had thick white vambraces over his lower arms along with a thin wire snaking from one of the protrusions on the left vambrace to the back of his neck.

The pro hero walked behind the desk of the classroom and gave a quick stare down to the students before speaking. “I’ll keep this brief, my name is Kan Sekijiro, your homeroom teacher, but you all can call me Vlad.” Everyone nodded, or in Tetsu’s case salute, as Vlad spoke again. “Now, my goal here is to turn every one of you into someone worthy of being part of the next generation of heroes. What does being a hero mean? Well, it can be different depending on who you ask, but it comes down to one thing, risking yourself to save others and put a stop to those who do wrong.”

“When I look at this room, I see large amounts of potential just waiting to be brought out. And that’s what we’re going to do at UA. We're not just some run of the mill hero course, we make some of the best damn heroes this world as seen and I expect no less from all of you. It won't be easy, but with plenty of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears, I’m confident every one of you will turn into an amazing hero that many will look up to. Now… GIVE ME A PLUS ULTRA!”

“ **PLUS ULTRA!** ” All the students couldn't help but smile and laugh heartedly after that. Or in Tetsu’s case cry tears over ‘How manly that was.’ But still, after hearing that, they were more determined to learn to become create heroes.

“Good. Now then," Vlad began. “Everyone line up and head to the auditorium where orientation will take place.”

“Hai!” Everyone said at once as they began to head out as Vlad instructed. Needless to say, this year was gonna be something memorable.

 

* * *

 

Inside the assembly hall, the 20 students from Class 1-B were in the stands along with the other first-year students, chatting amongst themselves. Ibara looked forward toward the empty seats, where Class 1-A was supposed to be.

 _‘Where are they? They should’ve been here by now, right?’_ Ibara asked herself, looking around for Class 1-A. “Do you see 1-A, Takamaki-san?” She asked the succubus sitting next to her.

Milia shook her head. “No,” she said. The two she-devils felt a tap on their shoulder, causing them to jump. The culprits were Setsuna and Itsuka.

“Is something wrong? You look like you’re looking for someone.” Setsuna said.

“Sorry. We’re looking for Class 1-A. The other class that's part of the Heroes' Course like us. Izuku-san and our other friends are in that class and they’re not here.” Ibara answered, looking around for the other class.

"Maybe they're running late,” Itsuka suggested. “You know how first days go.”

“Back up! ‘Izuku-san’?” Setsuna asked with a raised eyebrow. “You’re that close with the guy, huh?” She said with a sly smile, causing Ibara to blush.

While his students were talking, Vlad King noticed that Class 1-A hasn’t arrived yet. He was curious like Ibara on why they weren’t here. _‘The other heroics class isn’t here. What’s taking so long?’_ He thought until he noticed that one of the teachers was missing. That’s when everything clinked in his head. _‘Oh no! If Class 1-A is late, then that means their teacher is…’_

 

* * *

 

It seemed that Aizawa was the only teacher who was thinking along his line because the twenty students of his homeroom class were the only ones outside. Every other class was inside attending orientation. Twenty teenagers stood together in a loose group in their matching gym clothes.

Aizawa had followed them onto the grass, looking down at his phone as he walked. He seemed to be scrolling down a page and then stopped. Once he was done with whatever he was doing on his phone, he glanced up at the class.

“Everyone here? Good. There’s no reason to wait any longer. I have brought you out here for a Quirk assessment test.” Aizawa said, pulling a ball out of one of his pockets. “The school system that you’ve been a part of so far is irrational. The government is still trying to deny the obvious and say that you all have the same amount of potential. They do not allow those students with power to excel, nor for any of you to use your full power in physical education.” He glanced at his phone again. “Bakugo Katsuki?” He glanced up, and Bakugo stepped forward. “According to my records, out of this class, you have the longest distance thrown with a softball in middle school. 67 meters, is that correct?”

“I think so,” Bakugo answered.

Aizawa tossed him the ball, which Bakugo caught easily. “Throw that ball, but use your Quirk this time.” He gestured for Bakugo to stand in what seemed to be a shot put ring. “Anything goes, just stay inside the circle.”

“Okay, you asked for it,” Bakugo said with a smug grin. The explosion Quirk user then stepped inside the boundary circle and got in a throwing stance. _‘I’ll add some heat to my pitch and drop their jaws.’_

Bakugo then reared his arm as far back as possible.

“ **DIE!** ” He roared. Creating an explosion in his hands, the ash-blond threw the ball with great power and speed. Most of the students reacted in amazement at seeing the ball getting launched with such force due to the explosion. It was clear that the ball was going to go a long way past 67 meters. Though a few were slightly terrified by his word choice.

 _‘Die?’_ Izuku, Kyoka, and Ochako mentally repeated.

As the whole class watched the ball hit the ground, Aizawa turned towards them again. “Only by allowing each of you to use your Quirk to its full potential will we know what your potential as future heroes.” He held up his phone for the class to see, which was showing Bakugo’s score in distance thrown. A long way past 67 meters, indeed. The readout showed 705.2 meters!

“Over 700 meters!” Hyde gasped.

“That’s crazy!” A boy with red, spiky hair exclaimed. Bakugo was grinning with pride at the shocked looks on everyone’s faces.

“We can use our Quirks for this? Then this will be easy!” A girl with pink skin whispered to her neighbor with a grin.

“ _Easy, is it?_ ” Everyone went silent at Aizawa’s rather ominous tone as he said that. “Three years. That’s how long you have to train to become real heroes. And you all think it’s gonna be a bunch of fun and games? Well, then, today you’ll compete in 8 physical tests to judge just how much potential each of you has. The one who comes in last has none… _And will be immediately expelled!_ ”

Almost everyone reacted in horror to this. The first day of school and they are already met with a surprise Quirk test and are running the risk of getting kicked out! They watched as Aizawa smirked at his students and made a ‘come on’ gesture with his fingers. “Show me it’s no mistake that you’re here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now Izuku and the others have to deal with Aizawa’s Quirk Assessment Test. Things are never easy, huh? By the way, I want your opinion on something. Obviously, the drama from Aizawa’s assessment about whether or not Izuku is going to pass will be nonexistent here, which means that the student who gets the lowest score will be Mineta.
> 
> So, should I keep the little perv, or have him get expelled? Don’t get me wrong, I dislike the perv about as much as I dislike Matsuda and Motohama. On one hand, Aizawa states in the manga and anime that if he can see people don’t have potential he’ll expel them, and Mineta, despite his faults, is rather intelligent and creative. On the other hand, he’s, well, Mineta. If he stays, then expect to see him suffer a LOT. If he goes, then we get to see him suffer less but still see him suffer.
> 
> I’ll be using a poll on my FanFiction account page here (https://www.fanfiction.net/u/7781358/) and let you all decide this. It’ll be open for about a week, so be sure to vote as soon as you can.


	20. Hero School

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d like to give big thanks and kudos to Milarqui for going out of his way to make a TV Tropes page for the story! (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/HeroAcademiaDXD) GRACIAS! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

“What?” Ochako spoke up, raising her hand. “You can’t expel one of us on the first day! That’s not fair!”

“Oh, and you think that natural disasters are fair? Or what about villain attacks?” Aizawa asked her. “The world is full of unfairness. It is our job as heroes to face that darkness and fight against that unfairness. If you cannot do that, then this class is not the right one for you, and you’ll be better off in General Studies anyway.”

Momo, who was standing next to Izuku and Kyoka, whispered to her friends. “It’s a bluff. It has to be a bluff.”

“I hope you’re right,” Kyoka whispered back.

“I…” Tenya looked a little nervous. “I don’t approve of this sort of hazing, but if this is what it takes to get into the U.A. hero course, I’ll do my best.” He took a long drink from his sports bottle, which contained orange juice to fuel his Quirk.

“Time to blow these losers away.” Bakugo hummed confidently as he warmed up.

 _‘I can do this. I won’t let Rias-san or everyone else that’s helped me down!’_ Izuku thought as a determined expression came to his face. He looked around, noting the similar expressions everyone had. He then noticed someone familiar. It was one of Sona’s servants, her Rook Yura Tsubasa if he remembered right. She was looking at him out of the corner of her eyes. She winked at him, causing a blush to appear on his face.

“For the next three years, U.A. will throw one terrible hardship after another at you. So go beyond. Plus Ultra-style.” Aizawa challenged the students who most of them flinched at the way he looked at them.“Now then, we’re just wasting time talking. Let the games begin.”

 

* * *

 

_Trial 1: 50-meter dash_

Aizawa began to call students up two at a time to the starting line, going by ascending student number. This, in turn, helped introduce who they were as they got to the starting line. First up were Ashido Mina, the pink-skinned girl, and Aoyama Yuga, the blond-haired boy with perfectly combed hair and a rather giant belt.

“Let me show you all just how dazzling my Navel Laser is, and just how creative I can be,” Aoyama boasted, a French accent in his words. He turned around, his back facing the track while Mina got into position. As soon as the robot said to start, Aoyama jumped into the air. “Like this!” laughed Aoyama as he fired a laser beam from his navel, propelling him forward far faster than Mina could run.

**Aoyama Yuga, Quirk: Navel Laser. He basically shoots a laser out of his belly button.**

However, one-second after using it, Aoyama stopped, letting his momentum carry before hitting the ground. He quickly got back up after Mina already passed him, who was using her Quirk. She had taken off her shoes so as to be able to shoot acid from her feet, which she used to skate across the track. Yuga managed to get back up after falling and propelled himself to the finishing line once more, though not before Mina finished first, getting a record of 5.25 seconds while Yuga got 5.51 seconds.

“If I use my Naval Laser for more than one-second, I get a stomach ache,” Aoyama said, flashing stars around him. Everyone else just stared at him in confusion.

“Nice job, Ashido,” complimented the spiky red-hair student.

“Thanks. You better do a good job too!” Mina replied as she gave him a high five, “No more being your old-self in middle school, okay Kirishima?”

The second pair to go was Iida Tenya and Asui Tsuyu. Being a contest of speed, Iida sprinted across the finish line in 3.04 seconds while Tsuyu, despite speed not being her best, managed to get 5.58 seconds, hopping across the finish line.

“If only it was longer,” Iida sighed, “I could only change up to third gear with this much room.”

“Kero, I doubt anyone will be beating your time.”

**Iida Tenya, Quirk: Engine. He has engines in his calves that allows him to switch between different gears, increasing his speed.**

Up next was Ochako, being paired with Tsubasa. Ochako immediately began using her Quirk to lighten up her clothes and shoes. Tsubasa ran right away, crossing the finish line in 5.49 seconds. Ochako finished in 7.15 seconds.

The fourth, fifth, and sixth pairs all also went up, composed of Kaminari Denki, Kirishima Eijiro, Shoji Mezo, Jiro Kyoka, Sero Hanta, and Tokoyami Fumikage, all getting varying times from 5.20-7.18 seconds.

It wasn’t until the seventh pair that the students would be in awe after Iida’s speed. Todoroki Shoto, the half-white half-red haired boy, and Liana Kozuki, the red-head girl with violet eyes, were up, and at the sound of the horn, Todoroki blasted himself forward with an ice pillar he created. As he began descending down, he created an ice slide, allowing him to slide across the finish line in 3.15 seconds.

Liana wasn’t about to be outdone. At the sound of the horn, a pillar of bone shot out of the palm of her hand, propelling her to the finish just short of Todoroki, 3.16 seconds.

“What the hell!?” Hyde shouted, saying what was everyone’s mind. “That’s crazy!”

Up next were Hyde and Hagakure, an invisible girl. Hyde dashed as fast as he could, but only got 5.41 seconds. Hagakure, despite not having a Quirk to help her go faster in any way, managed to show just how fit she was by crossing the finish line in 6.24 seconds. The only real way they could tell she crossed the line was because she was wearing clothes.

Finally, it was Izuku and Bakugo's turn. The two of them gave each other a small glare before getting into position.

“Explosive Turbo!” Bakugo shouted, using his explosions to accelerate himself forward, earning him a time of 3.95 seconds. He smirked, confident he beat Deku… until he saw that Deku was a foot in front of him.

“2.95 seconds,” the robot recorder announced, but that wasn’t the reason why Bakugo’s jaw dropped. The reason was because Izuku had two, leathery wings with green scales that also were on his arms and the sides of his face, and two black, curved horns on his head.

Aizawa noticed two things. During the entrance exam, Izuku’s scales were red. Now they were green, and he had horns. The other thing he noticed was that Bakugo’s rage began to reach a boiling point.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS, DEKU?!” The blond screamed, startling nearly everyone, Izuku included as he stomped toward the demidrake. “SINCE WHEN DO YOU HAVE A-” The spiky blond’s rant was cut off as bandage-like cloth abruptly wrapped around him. No matter how much he struggled, the cloth held and he couldn’t break free. In fact, the more he struggled the more tangled he became.

His Quirk also wasn’t working. He was pointing an open palm at Izuku but nothing was happening!

“And what exactly were you trying to do?” Aizawa’s voice was low and deliberate, but loud enough for everyone to hear. His hair was standing up and his eyes were glowing red. “Attacking or harming a fellow student or member of the staff outside of training exercises is grounds for immediate expulsion. So I suggest you back down.”

Bakugo stared at him wide-eyed before glaring and gritting his teeth. He reluctantly stopped squirming without a word. The cloth retracted back to Aizawa who sighed and fished out some eye drops from his pocket.

“What a pain…” Aizawa’s eyes were bloodshot and showing obvious irritation. “Don’t tell me you kids are going to give me dry eye from stupid temper-tantrums like this every day.”

 _‘Dry eye…?’_ Wait, Bakugo’s Quirk wasn't working right, and the comment about his eyes meant… "I-I know you! You’re Eraserhead! You specialize in villain capture, and you can erase Quirks just by looking at them!”

**Aizawa Shota AKA Eraserhead, Quirk: Erasure. He can erase anyone’s Quirk with a single glare. But the effects end whenever he blinks.**

“Eraserhead?” One student whispered, “Never heard of him.”

“He’s an underground hero,” said Hyde. “He doesn’t like the media from what I’ve heard.”

After that, the tests continued. Mineta Minoru, though having a short stature and a perverted mind, used his Quirk by grabbing four balls on each hand and threw them in a line on his path. He quickly bounced on each one, jumping forward as fast he could while also throwing even more down the lane, getting a time of 7.21 seconds, the worst out of all of them. It was rather unlucky just because of his stature.

 

* * *

 

_Trial 2: Grip Test_

The class headed to the gym for the next test, a Grip Strength test where a student grasps a hand-held device that reads the force their grip exhibits in kilograms. Tsubasa was one of the first to go.

“Holy crap!” Izuku saw both Sero and Mineta with Tsubasa, gripping the device as the Tape Quirk user spoke. “You hit 1000.0 kilograms!? You’re a beast!”

“An amazon!” Mineta started to drool.

Izuku smiled, looking at his grip test machine. It read at 541.3 kilograms.

_*Crunch!*_

“Oops!” Everyone turned to Ochako. In her hand was what _was_ one of the grip testers. Now it was partly dust. “Guess I overdid it…”

 _‘How strong is she?!’_ Most of the students, except for Izuku, Momo, and Kyoka, all thought.

Aizawa silently stared, just as shocked as everyone else.

 

* * *

 

_Trial 3: Standing Long Jump_

Izuku watched as the students tried to use their Quirks to aid them in this, going two at a time again. The only ones who had excelled beyond the other students, for now, had been Aoyama and Tsuyu. Izuku watched Iida almost clear the sandbox, using his engine to propel him farther forward. Ochako managed to clear it, as did Tsubasa. Liana used her Quirk to make a long pillar of bone to propel herself, getting the same distance as Tsuyu. Todoroki easily cleared it by blasting himself off an ice pillar again.

Aoyama flew pass the measuring robot, flying over the sandbox. Then Bakugo was up, and he used his explosive powers to get him over the sandbox. Izuku flew over the sandbox as well, landing a couple of feet ahead. And Momo also managed to clear the sandbox with relative ease.

Sadly, the worst score was Mineta, who could only bounce on his ball in the initial platform, and having no forward momentum as well as a small body, did not get far.

 

* * *

 

_Trail 4: Sustained Side Jumps_

Mineta made up for some of his failures by creating clumps of balls next to him and kept bouncing off them with ease, thanks to his short stature. Izuku managed to handle it with ease as well, using his wings to control where he landed. Iida showed his creativity by turning his leg engines on and off on each leg separate times.

 

* * *

 

_Trial 5: Ball Throw_

Since Bakugo had already done the ball throw, he was excused from doing it again. Ochako was the first to go. Using her Quirk, Ochako threw the softball up into the air with an underpowered toss. However, the ball kept going, floated up into the air. For about a few seconds, everyone watched as it disappeared from sight.

Aizawa then showed everyone the score.

“Infinity!?” The other students exclaimed in shock.

“How the hell does that work?!” Hyde exclaimed.

After getting a new ball, up next was the red-head girl. Her name was Liana Kozuki. She took a deep breath as she stepped into the circle. White growths then sprouted form her arm, enveloping it in bone as it grew far larger.

Using her bone vambrace, Liana reared her arm back before throwing the ball. A slight shockwave sounded from the force of the throw, causing the other students to blink and stare in shock at Liana.

Aizawa looked down at his phone when it gave him the results and blinked.

 _‘Hmm, not bad. Guess I shouldn’t expect anything less, given who her parents are.’_ Aizawa thought, turning towards the crowd and showing the results.

“1649.7 meters?! Seriously?!”

Liana smiled, feeling a little proud of herself.

**Liana Kozuki, Quirk: Demonic Bone: She can grow, create, control, and alter the bones in her arms, using them to create weapons and shields.**

It was now Izuku’s turn. He summoned his Boosted Gear, which turned some of his scales red. Aizawa watched closely as Izuku grabbed the ball and threw it. It took a second for the ball to fall back down. The students eagerly looked to Aizawa, with most failing to notice his hair fall down as he showed everyone the results on his phone.

“1038.3 meters?!”

Bakugo growled in anger, an aura of rage surrounding him causing a few students, Izuku included, to take a few steps back. Todoroki, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes at Izuku before suddenly noticing his left hand flickering in flames. He quickly crossed his arms, allowing steam to arise from them.

 _‘Midoriya Izuku,’_ he thought to himself. _‘He’s someone to look out for.’_

Liana Kozuki also narrowed her eyes at Izuku, but for a different reason. She was the only one who noticed that Aizawa tried to erase Izuku’s Quirk, yet nothing happened.

 

* * *

 

_Trial 6: Endurance Run_

Though seemingly simple, as the students ran the course, they soon began to slow down. The first to drop out was Mineta, followed by Hagakure. The last few to drop out were Hyde, followed by Todoroki, Bakugou, Iida, Izuku, and Momo.

 

* * *

 

_Trial 7: Seated Toe-Touch_

Tsuyu blew the competition out of the water here, given how flexible her body is. Aoyama tried to be a flashy show-off, but he ended up embarrassing himself by accidentally dropping his belt and pants, to Mineta’s horror.

“Almost got it,” Momo huffed as she leaned forward, her assets pressing down on her legs.

Ochako pouted as she bent down. Her sweat had made her pants stick onto her skin, showing off her curve.

“The Hero Course is the best,” commented Mineta as he stared at the two, only to get a slap from Aizawa to get him to pay attention.

 

* * *

 

_Trial 8: Sit-ups_

This one ended up being rather purely physical, as nobody had any Quirks that could help them get a better score, except for maybe Todoroki, who created a small film of ice to keep himself from sweating. Bakugo glared at Izuku as he matched him going up and down.

[You are aware that Bakugo has been glaring at you the whole time, right?]

 _‘Unfortunately,’_ Izuku mentally replied.

 

* * *

 

With the tests completed, everyone decided they had earned a good rest by sitting on the ground, as Aizawa looked at his tablet.

“Your rank will be based on comparing your results to pre-established benchmarks. Since reciting your scores would be irrational, I will just show you the results.” Touching the pad, Aizawa manipulated something, and a hologram began to show above the tablet, listing the rankings.

_1\. Yaoyorozu Momo_

_2\. Liana Kozuki_

_3\. Midoriya Izuku_

_4\. Todoroki Shoto_

_5\. Bakugo Katsuki_

_6\. Iida Tenya_

_7._ _Yura Tsubasa_

_8\. Tokoyami Fumikage_

_9\. Uraraka Ochako_

_10\. Shoji Mezo_

_11\. Kido Hyde_

_12\. Kirishima Eijiro_

_13\. Ashido Mina_

_14\. Jiro Kyoka_

_15\. Asui Tsuyu_

_16\. Aoyama Yuga_

_17\. Sero Hanta_

_18\. Kaminari Denki_

_19\. Hagakure Toru_

_20\. Mineta Minoru_

_‘I managed to get third overall,’_ Izuku sighed in relief.

[Would’ve been nice if you got first, but I guess this is good since Bakugo looks ready to explode at any moment.]

Indeed, Bakugo looked ready to literally kill someone, causing the few students near him to wisely back away. Izuku made a mental note to stay away from Bakugo for a while.

“WAAH!” Everyone turned back to Mineta, who was now openly sobbing. “I’M SO SCREWED! I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO SEE ANY OF THE GIRLS IN THEIR COSTUMES!”

“Stop whining.” Everyone looked to Aizawa who was putting away his eyedrops. “You aren’t getting kicked out.”

Mineta sniffled. “R-Really?”

“Obviously,” Momo sighed while pinching the bridge of her nose. “Honestly, I’m surprised none of you figured it out.”

Liana crossed her arms. “Right. What kind of teacher would suspend or expel someone over something like this on the first day?”

“What!? No fair, you two!” Mina huffed. “You could’ve told us it was just a lie…”

“Actually, it wasn’t a lie.”

…

…

…

Everyone slowly turned toward Aizawa, who now sported a scary grin. “I would have expelled whoever came in last. Hell, I would’ve expelled all of you if you didn’t impress me enough.”

“ **…WHAAAAAT!?** ” The class shouted together.

[HAHAHAHA! He may look like a hobo, but I’m gonna like your teacher!]

 _‘Glade you do,’_ Izuku nervously replied.

Kyoka leaned up to Momo and whispered. “‘Bluff’ huh?”

“I’ve… been wrong before,” Momo meekly replied.

“Anyone can get into U.A. with a powerful Quirk and enough study time, but a lot of those who do get in think they can coast by on their Quirk alone. I’m here to tell you that’s not enough. Your Quirks are useless if you don't have the imagination to use them creatively… or the potential to grow.”

He pointed at Mineta. “Your Quirk may be simple, but you’ve used it in a creative way during the side-stepping exercise. That tells me that, with enough training, you can make a decent Hero.” He grinned at the crying Mineta. “That’s why I’m not kicking you out. But make no mistake: one slip-up and I’m revoking this decision.”

“Y-Yes, sir!” Mineta nodded.

“The same goes for the rest of you! If I feel you're slacking off and not being serious about your position here, I won’t hesitate to kick you out.” He stared all of them down, and they all trembled before him, “Any questions?”

“N-no, sensei!”

“Good. Your syllabus will be back in homeroom. Make sure you review it closely. And don’t lose it either. I won’t be making copies. You’re dismissed.” He whirled around and walked away without a look back.

Several people had lost feeling in their legs and slumped to the floor, hearts racing and adrenaline pumping. Eventually, it was a much-subdued group that finally made it back to 1-A.

 

* * *

 

Once everyone went back to the classroom to pick up the syllabus they left the school grounds, the first day of school came to an end. Izuku, Ochako, Kyoka, and Momo were walking together, leaving the main building. Kyoka was walking slowly, the most tired and exhausted from the Quirk Assessment Test they went through. “I’m so tired.” She said, looking down, all dizzy and such.

“It certainly wasn’t a good first day, I agree. I honestly didn’t think we would go through such a test.” Momo said.

“At least we all passed,” said Ochako. She then gulped. “But man, our homeroom teacher is really strict, huh?”

“Man, I wish we went to Orientation instead.” Kyoka groaned as they stopped and waited outside the building.

“I agree. Maybe Buchou and the others will tell us about it.” Izuku said. But before he could say something else, a hand touch his right shoulder. He turn around to see none other than Iida, standing behind him with a serious look. “Eh! Oh, hello Iida-san.”

“Sorry I scared you. I just wanted to congratulate you and Yaoyorozu-kun for placing third and first in the Quirk Assessment Test,” the Engine Quirk user said.

“Oh, thanks. But it wasn’t a big deal.” Momo said.

“I see you all known one another. Have you all met before?” Iida asked them.

“Yep!” Ochako answered. “We met a few months ago. Let’s just say things happened and we became fast friends.” She summed up.

“That’s one way to put it.”

The group looked behind them to see Rias, with Yuuto behind her, coming up to them. “Oh, Buchou!” The devils all greeted.

“Buchou?” Iida asked.

“Glad to see you made it through your first day in one piece, guys,” Yuuto greeted with his usual smile.

“You all got lucky,” Rias stated. “I heard that Aizawa-sensei expelled an entire class last year.”

“That’s… comforting,” Kyoka muttered.

“Who’s this?” Yuuto asked, referring to Iida.

“Allow me to introduce myself! I am Iida Tenya. A pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is ours. I’m Kiba Yuuto, 1st-year general studies, Class 1-C.”

“Rias Gremory, 2nd-year general studies. 2-D.”

Iida immediately bowed upon Rias’ introduction. “An honor to meet you, senpai!”

“There’s no reason to be so formal,” Rias replied. “You can simply call me Rias-san.”

“If you wish, Rias-san-senpai-kun,” Iida nodded his head. “I wasn’t aware you were acquainted with an upperclassman.”

“Yeah, a lot of stuff happened when we met and well…” Izuku chuckled, unsure how to continue.

“Oh, Iuz-kun, there’s no need to be shy. Tell him how close we are,” Rias said as she gave him a hug, burying his head into her bosom.

Ochako, Momo, and Kyoka stared slack jaw at what they saw, jealously swelling inside the Rook. Yuuto chuckled in amusement while Iida blushed. Worst of all, other students who were walking by started staring at her hugging Izuku, hints of rage and jealousy in their glares.

“B-buchou, can you please stop that! People are staring!” Ochako stuttered.

Rias chuckled as she released Izuku, who seemed on the verge of passing out now.

“Izuku-san, are you okay?” Momo asked.

“I’s kay…” Izuku answered, his face a deep red with swirls in his eyes.

“Izuku-san! Everyone!” The turn back to the building to see Ibara running and waving at them. Behind her was Itsuka and Milia. “Sorry I’m late.”

Izuku, having shaken off the stupor Rias put him through, was surprised at seeing Milia. “Takamaki-san?”

“Hello, Midoriya-san,” Milia greeted.

“Wait, you’re in the hero course too?” Ochako asked.

“Yes,” Milia nodded.

“I was just as surprised as you,” Ibara said.

“It’s good to see you again, Kendo-san.” Izuku greeted.

“Long time no see, Midoriya,” she said.

“So, are you all heading to the train station?” Iida asked, most of them nodding as an answer. “Would you mind if I joined you there?”

“It wouldn’t be any problem,” Rias said. “We just need to pick up Koneko and head home. There aren’t any club activities today, so we got some time to kill.”

“Then how about we go out to eat?” Milia suggested. “Kudelia-san gave me a day off, and I know this new restaurant nearby.”

And with that the group made the walk down to the restaurant Milia had suggested, picking up Koneko along the way, all of them talking about their eventful first day.

 

* * *

 

The next day was the first official day of school. So far… things were pretty normal as far as high schools go. “Now then, boys and girls…” Present Mic began as he pointed at the board. “Which one of these sentences is the correct one?”

A: _{A thought that had been in for many months in the archives of his mind came sharply into relief.}_

B: _{A thought that had been in the archives of his mind for many months came into relief sharply.}_

C: _{A thought that had been in the archives of his mind for many months came sharply into relief.}_

D: _{A thought came sharply that had been in the archives of his mind for many months into relief.}_

 _‘So boring…’_ Mina, Kaminari, and Kyoka thought with tired looks.

 _‘This really sucks.’_ Bakugo thought, not really caring about this period at all.

Several of the students raised their hands, with Present Mic picking Momo. “It is C. The reason why, of course, is that the adverb, sharply, is used to emphasize the suddenness of the speaker’s realization.”

“That is correct!”

 

* * *

 

Lunch itself looked surprisingly good even though it was dirt cheap, which Izuku attributed to it being made by the Pro Hero Lunch Rush before he took a seat at a table with Momo, Kyoka, Ochako, and Iida, where Ibara, Itsuka, Milia were already sitting. Soon Yuuto and Rias joined up with them.

“I take it your classes have gone smoothly so far?” Rias asked, being sure to sit next to Izuku.

“T-They’ve b-been great, so far,” Izuku replied. “What about your classes?” He asked Ibara and Milia.

“So far so good,” Milia answered. “I honestly wasn’t expecting our classes to be so… normal.”

“Yeah. It makes me wish I paid more attention in English class,” said Ochako.

As the group talked about their day was like so far and what their afternoon classes would be like, a mischievous glint appeared in Rias’ eyes. “Izu-kun, you should really try this salmon,” Rias held out a piece of salmon in chopsticks, holding it out for Izuku.

“Uh, sure,” Izuku nodded, blushing slightly as Rias feed Izuku the salmon. Smiling, Rias continued with her meal, looking rather smug.

A shocking revelation than came upon Izuku. Rias had both feed him, and had been using those chopsticks! She gave him an indirect kiss! Izuku’s eyes wondered to Ibara and Ochako. The two had stopped eating and were glaring at him and Rias. Oddly, Milia was doing the same. Itsuka, for her part, was surprised by the sudden display of affection. But inside her, she felt her stomach curl, as if she was jealous of seeing Rias give Izuku an indirect kiss, something she didn’t understand why.

 

* * *

 

Afternoon arrived, and the students of 1-A were all eager to have their very first Heroics class. A burst of very familiar laughter reverberated throughout the halls, causing the students to pause, unable to believe their ears. “ **Hahahahaha!** ”

“No way,” Izuku gasped. “Is that!?”

“ **I AM HERE!** ”All Might announced. Izuku and the other students gasped in shock and excitement. “ **Coming through the door like a normal person!** ” All Might came into the room in a very 'not-normal' fashion, but none of the students seemed to care as they all stared with wide eyes at the number one hero as he marched into the room looking at everyone with his signature smile as everyone started to gush about him.

“No freaking way!”

“It’s All Might!”

“I can’t believe it! All Might is actually gonna teach us!”

“This is gonna be awesome!”

“Kero, is that his silver age costume?”

As All Might marched heroically to the desk, everyone got a good look at his costume. It was primarily red at the torso with white stripes around the chest and sides, blue pants with white stripes. He also had golden yellow boots, belt, and bracers along with a flowing blue cape.

Once All Might made it behind the desk, he put his hands to his hip and looked the students. Everyone watched and listened in anticipation as the Number One Hero spoke. “ **Welcome, young heroes, to the most important class at U.A. High.** ” All Might said with his ever-present large grin. “ **Think of this class as Heroing 101!** ” Everyone smiled, having waited all school day this. “ **Here you will learn the basics of becoming a hero and what it means to fight in the name of good! For our first day, our lesson will pull no punches! That’s right! Battle training!** ”

Bakugo suddenly grinned in excitement, eager to fight.

“ **And to go with that,** ” declared All Might before pointing to the side of a wall in an epic manner, “ **Are these!** ” The walls suddenly began shifting before shelves came out with suitcases in them, each one labeled with a student number. “ **Your costumes that have been created in accordance with the Quirk registry and the special forms you all filled out before school started, along with any details you wanted!** ”

The students all cheered in excitement, eager to wear their gear. They didn't expect them to be finished so fast, but it was to be expected of U.A. heroics.

“ **Now go get changed and meet me at Ground Beta when you’re done,** ” All Might said before he dashed out.

 

* * *

 

All Might stood waiting for the class near the entrance of training ground Beta. It took only a few moments before the students began to walk into the training ground in their new hero costumes. The costumes were as diverse as the quirks that they represented. Some of the costumes were flashy and ostentatious, while others were simple and functional.

Izuku’s fell into the later. It seemed like something that you could buy for a couple of tens of thousands of yen at any sports goods store in Japan. An emerald green sleeveless bodysuit with dark red accents, with padding over his thighs, shins, and torso along with his shoulders and forearms. The padding was given a dark red color to contrast with the emerald color. He also wore his own red shoes. There were two velcro lined holes in the suits back, allowing his dragon wings to spread without raising suspicion (since both those and his devil wings don’t tear threw clothing when in use). He had originally wanted to include a face-guard and hood with two protrusions, but Rias and the others cut those out, saying that it looked like an All Might ripoff.

“Your costume looks great, Izu-kun!”

Izuku wanted to reply to Ochako, but the words nearly died in his throat, a faint blush on his face. “I-Is t-that your costume, Ochako-san?”

Ochako’s costume seemed to play up to her Quirk, making her look like an astronaut with a pink and black skintight suit that covered her entire body, a transparent helmet for her head and thick, round bracers with handles attached to them. The fact that it was skintight, and thus was emphasizing her curves, made it hard for him not to stare.

“Hehe, I should’ve been more descriptive with what I wanted,” Ochako said with a small blush. “My suit ended up being skintight.”

That was a half-lie.

Ochako had not wanted a skintight suit. She did, however, had specified that her chest and waist be a bit more emphasized to have Izuku notice her more. Of course, the result came out to be a skintight uniform, but she wasn’t complaining given how Izuku was glancing at her body.

“I think your costume is great, Ochako-san.” Izuku and Ochako turn to Momo’s voice, who was walking up to them with Kyoka. The boy’s face turned 100% red in response to what he saw.

Kyoka’s Hero costume was nothing spectacular. It was a long salmon-colored shirt with several rips at the collar and hem, black pants, and boots with stereos built into their shafts. She also had two small, triangular red paint marks just below her eyes, a plain black choker, and white fingerless gloves, giving her a ‘rocker’ look.

Momo’s costume, however, was a different story. She wore a high-collared, sleeveless crimson leotard with silver lines at her waist and around her arms, which were open to expose her skin from her neck to just below her navel. She sported calf-length crimson boots with heels, which dipped sharply down in the center, and two gold utility belts around her waist. Another, thinner one ran around the top portion of her chest and below her shoulders.

“M-M-Momo-san!? T-T-That’s your hero costume!?” He asked, trying to stop the nose bleed he was having.

“Yeah…" Momo said, slightly embarrassed as she and Kyoka approached the two. “There is a reason why. Due to my Quirk, I need to have exposed skin to create an object out of my body?”

“O-Oh, yeah I-I forgot. I-I m-mean… you both do look more c-cute in those c-costumes.” Izuku said with a red face.

Those words made Momo and Kyoka blush a little. Kyoka wasn’t used to boys calling her cute, so she didn’t know how to properly respond. Momo, however, leaned over to Izuku, her mouth near his right ear. “If you want, perhaps Kyoka and I can show you more of our skin later.” She whispered in a seductive tone, causing the boy to jump.

“Ga! Seriously!?” Izuku yelled.

Momo couldn’t help but giggle at Izuku’s reaction, while Ochako stared at the Queen. Kyoka looked indignantly at Momo. “M-Momo! W-what the hell?!”

“Sorry, Kyoka,” Momo said. “Buchou loves to tease Izuku-san so much, I thought I give it a shot.”

“That, we can agree with,” the four turned to another voice. The owner was Sona’s Rook, Tsubasa.

Tsubasa’s costume was rather simple. It consisted of a white karate gi with the sleeves torn off, blue fingerless gloves, a long orange headband, a black martial arts belt, and dark boots.

“Yura-san,” Izuku said.

“Hey. I wanted to talk with you guys yesterday, but I didn’t get the chance due to Aizawa-sensei’s test and there was a meeting for the student council after classes ended.”

“It’s fine,” said Ochako. “And I like your costume. Not too flashy, you know.”

“Yeah,” Kyoka agreed. “Has a real _Street Fighter_ vibe to it.”

“Thanks,” Tsubasa smiled. “Ryu was a basis for the design, I admit. And I like your costume, Midoriya. I kinda want to see what it's like when dirty now.”

“Dirty?” The four teens blinked.

“Uh, yes,” Tsubasa chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. “Don’t know why, but I’ve always liked boys who get dirty after a fight,” she looked to Izuku seductively. “Kinda like Midoriya after the fight with Riser.”

“…Eh?” Izuku honestly had no idea how to respond to that.

Ochako silently glared at Tsubasa. _‘Another love rival!’_

Nearby, Mineta was chewing on his little yellow cape. “The lucky bastard! Damn shy, nice guy act is getting him all the babes!”

Further away, Ashido Mina watched the whole thing unfold. Her costume consisted of a plain white mask over her eyes, and a purple and turquoise skintight bodysuit with a camouflage pattern, ending just above her breasts. Over this, she wears a cropped, sleeveless tan-colored waistcoat with white fur along its collar, which she leaves unbuttoned. She wears custom made acid-proof boots with holes in the soles, allowing her to secrete acid from her feet to use to slide around.

 _‘Is that the same Midoriya from yesterday?’_ She thought, looking at the boy. _‘I wasn’t expecting him to be so skittish with girls. Not with the way Yaomomo, Jirou, and Uraraka hang out with him.’_ A mischievous smile formed on her face. _‘Guess I have to get in on all the fun. Midori is just so cute and adorable.’_

“ **Alright ya newbies, it is time to get started.** ” All Might interrupted the socializing.

Iida raised his hand, “Sensei, this is the same site we used for our entrance exams. Will we be doing cityscape maneuvers again?”

“ **Not quite,** ” All Might said. “ **What you’ll be doing is indoor, anti-personnel combat training. Most of the villain fights that you see on the news take place on the streets, but statistically speaking, a vast majority of villain fights happen indoors: Backroom deals, the black market, hostage situations, just to name a few,** ” he continued. “ **In this Hero Society of ours, the most dangerous villains are the ones who use their brains and try to outwit us. They almost always operate indoors, away from prying eyes like ours.** ” He clenched his fist in front of his chest, “ **With that in mind, you all will be split evenly into groups of two! Each team will have either a Hero or Villain designation, and you will be fighting against another team!** ”

“Isn’t that a little advance?” Asui asked.

“ **The best training is the training that you get in the field!** ” All Might answered. “ **But, remember, you are not just punching robots this time, you are fighting against actual people.** ”

“What determines victory?” Asked Momo.

“Can I still blast them until they die?” Bakugogrowled.

“Will the punishment be expulsion, just like Aizawa-sensei?” Ochako asked nervously.

“How will we be splitting up?” Asked Iida, the only one to have raised his hand to ask.

“Isn’t my cape fabulous?” Aoyama, not even bothering to ask about the trial, was flashing his cape.

“ **One question at a time, please!** ” All Might yelled, a little overwhelmed. Seeing the students quickly settle down, he continued. “ **Anyway, by order of the questions I heard: I’ll explain, no, no, we’ll get there in a minute, and yes, but be careful about that cape. If it gets caught on something, you’ll be in trouble.** **Now then, allow me to explain today’s task!** ” With that, he took out a small booklet and began to read off it.

“ **The situation is that the villains have hidden a nuclear weapon somewhere in their hideout! The heroes have to go in and dispose of it! The heroes will have a limited amount of time to either capture the villains or secure the weapon in order to win. As for securing, you merely need to be able to touch it for longer than three-seconds. The villains, in order to win, must either secure the weapon until time runs out or capture the heroes!** ”

 _‘Is he seriously reading a script?’_ A majority of the students all thought.

All Might then took out a box with a hole on top presenting it to the students, “ **Your teammates will be decided through lots!** ”

“Is that really the best way?” Iida questioned.

It was Izuku who answered though, “Actually, it makes a lot of sense. In the field, we will sometimes have to pair up with other Heroes who we potentially know nothing about. Anything can happen during emergencies and pairing up with Heroes from different Agencies happens all the time.”

“I see! Excellent analysis, Midoriya-kun! Forgive my impertinence!” Iida bowed to All Might, who shrugged him off.

“ **No worries, Young Iida. Let’s get to it!** " He turned and pumped a fist into the air. One by one, the students walked up to the box and pulled a lot out. In a matter of moments, the teams had formed.

Team A: Ashido Mina & Sero Hanta

Team B: Yaoyorozu Momo & Hagakure Toru

Team C: Kido Hyde & Midoriya Izuku

Team D: Tokoyami Fumikage & Aoyama Yuga

Team E: Asui Tsuyu & Shoji Mezo

Team F: Liana Kozuki & Uraraka Ochako

Team G: Jiro Kyoka & Todoroki Shoto

Team H: Kirishima Eijiro & Kaminari Denki

Team I: Yura Tsubasa & Bakugo Katsuki

Team J: Mineta Minoru & Iida Tenya

“Eight babes in this class, and I didn’t get paired with any of them!” Mineta hissed.

Hyde, wearing a dark gray leather jacket with belts, black baggy pants, and a plain silver shirt, approached his partner, extending his right hand to him. “Looks like we’re a team. Let’s both do our best together, alright Midoriya?”

“Yeah!” Izuku replied, shaking Hyde’s hand with a determined expression.

Ochako, while disappointed that she won’t be on the same team as Izuku, walked over to Liana. Her costume consisted of a red vest over a black shirt and black shorts, a mask decorated with crimson lotus petals, revealing only her mouth, nose, and eyes. She also had a dark red cloak with black highlights. “Uh, hey,” she greeted. “Guess we’re teammates.”

Liana smiled and nodded. “You’re Quirk lets you alter gravity, right?”

“Well, kinda,” Ochako admitted. “Why? You have something in mind?”

“ **All right, now that we have the teams set up, let's see who’s going against whom first!** ” All Might took out two more lottery boxes, the right one labeled Villain while the left one was labeled Hero. “ **First up, we have… Team C as Villains against… Team I as the Heroes!** ”

Izuku felt something drop in his stomach as he turned to the members of Team I. Tsubasa was trying to say something to Bakugo, but the explosive teen wasn’t listening. Instead, he was flashing a huge grin at Izuku. Bakugo silently placed his right fist into his left hand and a small explosion erupted between them, startling his teammate. He then held out his smoking palm to Izuku before clenching it as though he were crushing an insect.

“Well, this is going to be fun,” Hyde muttered before turning to Izuku. “You going to be okay?”

“Y-Yeah…”

“ **Now, while both teams remain here, I want everyone else to head for the control room. That way you will be able to observe everything and comment on it!** ”

“Hai!” the students replied, leaving for the control room, while All Might called both teams to follow him to the building where the exercise would take place.

“ **Young Midoriya and Young Kido, you will enter first to prepare the bomb. You will have aid from the U.A. robots to move and place it quickly if you need it. There will be a ten-minute grace period for both teams to plan and prepare as needed. The fifteen-minute timer will begin to count down immediately once the Heroes are allowed to enter, so take care not to procrastinate!** ” All Might grinned, fists on his hips, “ **And most importantly, remember this is to give you all practical experience, so you must not hold back! The Villains should try to embrace a villainous mindset and pretend to be the real deal! You can’t have any doubts and must give it your all! That said, remember that this is just training so take care not to go TOO far. I will only step in if I feel I need to. If I declare the exercise over at any point for any reason, it is OVER. Is that clear? And be mindful that the provided Capture Tape can only be used once! Use it wisely, because you only get one per team.** ”

The four students nodded, and All Might pulled four pieces of paper and four small earplugs from a small pocket that didn’t even seem to exist, handing one of each to them. “ **Here is the layout of the building. Be sure to memorize it. And these communicators can be used to keep in touch with each other. Team C, you may go into the building now. I will inform both teams when the test begins. Now, go!** ” All Might finished, waiting until Izuku and Hyde went into the building before leaving.

 

* * *

 

“So this is it, huh?” Hyde tapped his hand against the ‘nuclear weapon’. “Papier-mâché. That makes sense. So, where should we move this?”

Izuku looked over the paper All Might had given them. “It looks like either the top or middle floors are our best options. There are plenty of places to hide the weapon there.”

“Then let’s move this thing,” Hyde watched as the U.A. robots picked up the bomb.

 

* * *

 

Outside, Tsubasa and Bakugo were waiting for the test to begin. Tsubasa looked worryingly at Bakugo, who seemed ready to demolish the building at any second. Rage had completely taken over him, to the point his body started to shake. _‘Was he seriously just fucking with me all these years?’_ Bakugo thought. In all the years he’d known Deku, the nerd never had Quirk. Now he can turn into some lizard freak?!

“Uh, so, what’s the plan?” Tsubasa asked.

“I’m gonna go after Deku!” Bakugo hissed. “You can take Clownfish.”

“But aren’t we supposed to-”

“I DON’T FUCKING CARE!” He snarled. “I’m going to show that damn nerd that he ain’t better than me!”

 

* * *

 

“There. Everything’s set,” Hyde wiped away the little sweat he built up. After the robots moved the ‘weapon’, Izuku and Hyde decided to set up some dummies on both the middle and second floors, using the empty crates and tarps to do so.

“Kido-san, what’s your Quirk?” Izuku asked.

“It’s called Void Red,” Hyde’s left hand was encased in a dark red energy. “I can basically control and manipulate dark energy. Also… Come forth, Insulator!” Hyde made a grasping motion in front of his left palm. Dark energy swirl from his palm as he did so. The fingers of his right hand closed as the hilt of a blade emerged from his palm. He withdrew the sword from his palm in a spray of red and black sparks. It was a katana with a red blade patterned with bright-red lines of energy that flow through it; it also has no hand-guard while also having a fairly long pale-yellow hilt with black wrappings.

“Whoa, that’s awesome!” Izuku pulled out a notebook and pen from somewhere and began to write. “How did you do that? Did you concentrate the energy into that blade? No, wait… It looked more like you drew the sword directly from your body. Is it stored in a pocket dimension in him until he needs it?Then what is it made of? And how-”

Hyde sweat-dropped at Izuku’s mumbling. “Dude, stop! You’re driving me nuts!”

Izuku flinched before chuckling sheepishly.

“And…” Hyde looked at the Insulator. “Where _does_ it come from? My hand? Wait, does it come from my hand? Then… where does it go?” As Hyde mumbled, he looked down his sleeve before realizing what he was doing. “Agh! Damnit! You’re starting to infect my brain!”

“Sorry.”

Hyde sighed. “Well, I told you about my power. What’s yours? Some kind of dragon Quirk, right?”

Izuku nodded. “Kinda,” he held his arm out as it transformed, growing his scales and wings, summoning his Boosted Gear while doing so. “I can grow green or red scales and wings, which gives me better defense, strength and of course flight. I can also double my power every few seconds, but only for a short time.”

“Dude, that’s awesome!” Hyde giddily said. “And, if I’m being honest, kinda fitting for this situation. A ‘dragon’ guarding its ‘treasure’?”

Izuku blinked before chuckling, realizing that Hyde was right. Dragons are known to guard their hoards fiercely.

“Anyway, what’s the plan?” Hyde asked.

Izuku looked outside in thought. “I’ve known Ka- …Bakugo for all my life. He will try to come after me while Yura-san goes after the bomb,” he said.

“I buy that. The guy seems to have it out for you. Think we can use that to our advantage?”

Izuku nodded. “I can keep him busy. That just leaves Yura-san.”

“I can deal with her,” said Hyde. “You need to focus on settling things with Bakugo.”

 _[“_ ** _Ok teams, time’s up!_** _”]_ Both Izuku and Hyde heard All Might’s voice via the communicators. _[“_ ** _Let the indoor combat training begin!_** _”]_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With a surprisingly close result, out of 33 voters, 13 voted for Mineta to be expelled, while 20 voted to keep Mineta. Honestly, with how many followers this story has on both AO3 and FanFiction, I was expecting more people would’ve voted. …Oh well. I defiantly will have fun writing slapstick focusing on Mineta whenever I get the chance.
> 
> Anyway, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, some of the canon students are gone, replaced by either an OC or some other character: Shoda Nirengeki and Bondo Kojiro from 1-B and Koda Koji, Sato Rikido, and Ojiro Mashirao from 1-A. Replacing Ojiro was literally a last-minute decision (I had to do a coin flip in the end).
> 
> Also, here’s an updated list of Izuku’s harem: Rias Gremory (main girl), Shiozaki Ibara, Uraraka Ochako, Yaoyorozu Momo, Tokage Setsuna, Jiro Kyoka, Xenovia Quarta, Shidou Irina, Ravel Phenex, Asui Tsuyu, Melissa Shield, Hatsume Mei, Toujou Koneko, Milia Takamaki (OC), Rossweisse, Liana Kozuki (OC), Kendo Itsuka, Hadou Nejire, Ashido Mina, Le Fay Pendragon, and Yura Tsubasa. 21 out of 24 now! He’s gonna need a LOT of stamina ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°).
> 
> Why add Sona’s Rook, you ask? Well, in Volume 11 of the DxD Light Novels, she has told Issei that she is attracted to him since he always ends up dirty after a fight. …Yeah, I don’t exactly get it, but since, well, getting a little dirty after a fight describes Izuku pretty well, I figured why not? She’ll be taking Ojiro’s place in 1-A.
> 
> I’ve also decided to share a list of POSSIBLE harem members. These girls I haven’t yet decided, so they MAY or MAY NOT be in: Sona Sitri, Serafall Leviathan, Yasaka, Gabriel, Kuroka, Mandalay, Mt. Lady, Mirko, and Utsushimi Camie.
> 
> Anyway, next time we’ll see the climactic battle between Izuku vs Bakugo! We’ll also get to see how everyone else will do during the battle trials! And we’ll see what 1-B is up to! See you next time. PLUS ULTRA!


	21. Start Line

At class 1-B, the students were waiting eagerly for when their heroics class to begin. "When's next class start?" Pony enthusiastically asked.

"Should be any minute now," Itsuka calmly said. "I wonder what we're gonna do."

"Hopefully we'll get to learn some manly hero skills," Tetsutetsu said in anticipation. He was obviously getting pumped.

Just then the door opened. The eyes of Ibara and Milia widened when they saw Mizu walk in.

"Hello everyone," the sorceress called. "I'm Mizushima Akari, but you can either call me Mizu or Ryūtō."

"Oh hey! I know you!" Itsuka said. "Kaika Hero: Ryūtō! I saw you on the Top 10 Most Beautiful Heroines list once!"

"Ah, yes. It was an honor to be chosen," Mizu smiled. "But enough about that. It's time to get class started. You won't be needing your hero costumes for this, but don't worry, you'll get the chance to wear them tomorrow."

Groans of disappointment were heard throughout the classroom. "Excuse me ma'am, but what will we be doing?" Shishida, the student with a rather beastly appearance, asked.

"Simple: you'll be doing sparring sessions against each other." Everyone perked up at Mizu's announcement.

"ALRIGHT!" Tetsutetsu cheered.

Kamakiri smirked. "We'll be fighting each other, huh? Don't mind if I do," he chuckled darkly.

Komori swallowed a lump in her throat as she lightly trembled. "Oh boy…" She spoke in a timid voice. "I hope I'm ready for this."

The rest of the class voice their own reactions when Mizu spoke up again. "Alright, settle down everyone! I know you're excited but save your energy. Now then, put on your PE uniforms and head to the gym."

The students all eagerly stood up and headed for the locker room. As they walked they passed by Class 1-A, which was currently empty. "What do you think 1-A is doing?" Celica asked.

"They're currently doing battle trials at Ground Beta," Mizu answered. "You'll get your turn tomorrow."

"And what makes 1-A so special?" Monoma asked. "Why do they get to take that class today but we're stuck with sparing? Seems rather unfair if you ask me, not something befitting of a school like U.A."

After a few minutes, (and a karate chop from Itsuka to end Monoma's rant), the 1-B students donned their gym uniforms and gathered at the same place Aizawa did his Quirk Assessment Test.

"Everyone here? Good," said Mizu. "Allow me to explain the rules," she gestured to a large ring behind her. "Two people at a time will enter the ring, and in order to win you have to either restrain your opponent, force them to submit, or throw them out of bounds. It doesn't matter how as long as you don't use your Quirk. This will be important as this will teach you just how far you are in terms of actual combat. This should also teach you any shortcomings you have in your technique. It will also be a good way to teach you how to fight against an opponent with a Quirk that counters yours or if you're in a situation where you can't use your Quirk. Now then," she pulled out a box from somewhere. "Everyone come on up and draw a number."

As the 1-B students did so, Ibara can't help but wonder how Izuku and the others were doing.

 

* * *

 

_Battle 1: Team I, Yura Tsubasa & Bakugo Katsuki (Heroes) vs Team C, Kido Hyde & MidoriyaIzuku (Villains)_

“He’s on a warpath,” Yura Tsubasa sighed. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t at all concerned with her teammate’s behavior. Bakugo had been pacing back and forth before the entrance to their test building ever since Izuku and Hyde went in, palms already popping with small explosions and a snarl twisting his face. The tall, bifauxnen teen didn’t know how to calm the blond down, or even if he wanted to calm down.

She had tried asking what the plan was, only for Bakugo to rebut her. She stopped trying to be civil with him after that, finding that there was no point to communicate if her teammate wasn’t going to listen.

 _[“_ **_Ok teams, time’s up! Let the indoor combat training begin!_ ** _”]_

Without missing a beat, Bakugo immediately flew into the building, nearly leaving his teammate behind, but Tsubasa did her best to keep up. The building was essentially a small storage facility with an attached set of offices. Bakugo scowled angrily. “Shit, that bastard has plenty of places to hide!”

Tsubasa shook her head again. Bakugo was looking for Izuku, not the weapon.

It wasn’t long until Bakugo had searched the last room on the first floor, his annoyance and anger having reached a fever pitch. There had not been a single clue of his opponents’ whereabouts anywhere. Making his way up the stairs in hopes of better luck on the next floor, Bakugo decided he’d had enough.

“DEKU! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!” The blond’s scream reverberated through the empty building so strongly that Tsubasa, who was trailing behind the explosive teen, cringed away not only from the lack of subtlety but also the sudden ringing in her ears.

He got his answer when he reached the second floor. Bakugo barely had the time to register when something glowing bright green slammed into his gut. He gaged as he was slammed against the wall with enough force to break it. Disorientated, but not taken out, Bakugo looked forward to where the ball of energy came from… and saw red.

Izuku, Boosted Gear giving off a faint glow, and wings spread, was standing there, looking rather smug. “I’m right here, Kacchan,” he said.

And then the green-haired teen turned around darted. Unprepared for such an action, it took a second for the blond to process what had just happened. And when he did…

“Fucking Deku… COME BACK HERE SO I CAN KILL YOU!” Bakugo screamed bloody murder as he ran through the second floor, chasing his former friend as if nothing else mattered.

“Bakugo, wait!” Tsubasa called, but it was too late. Bakugo had already turned the corner after Izuku. Groaning in frustration, Tsubasa continued up the stairs. Since Bakugo’s only concern was beating Izuku, she decided to just go after the weapon itself.

 

* * *

 

[Planing to run the clock down, are you?] Ddraig asked.

 _‘Yeah,’_ Izuku replied. He could hear Bakugo’s yells and the sounds of explosions in the distance. From the sound of it, since Bakugo lost sight of Izuku he was being forced to search each of the side rooms for any sign of his quarry.

If he could keep Bakugo occupied down here, and if Hyde can keep Tsubasa held up, then all they had to do was stall until time was up. Bakugo was too far away and was making far too much noise for him to hear his quarry, so Izuku pressed his finger to his earpiece to get in contact with Hyde. “Kido-san, are you there? Can you hear me?” He whispered.

A second later, Hyde gave his reply. _[“Yeah, I can hear you. What’s going on?”]_

“Kacch- …Bakugo is way too focused on me. He’s gone completely rouge and left Yura-san to go after the weapon alone. I’ll keep him busy down here. You keep Yura-san away from the weapon.”

_[“Got it. Don’t get your ass kicked.”]_

“You too,” Izuku smiled.

“STOP HIDING! COME OUT AND FACE ME, YOU FUCKING COWARD!” Izuku flinch when he heard Bakugo’s voice.

He then narrowed his eyes. “I’m not a coward, Bakugo. Get ready, I’m coming for you.” He said, clenching his fist in anger.

 

* * *

 

Tsubasa ran through the third floor, looking in every she found. There were at least a dozen rooms here, and she searched through half of them with no luck. “I’m starting to think Kido isn’t on this floor,” she said to herself.

Then, right when she was about to enter another room…

“Black Orbiter!”

Tsubasa barely had time to dodge when a black spinning orb blew past her.

“Nice dodge, hero,” Tsubasa looked inside and saw Hyde, something large covered by a tarp behind him. “But it’s too late to stop us. You’re welcome to try, though.”

Tsubasa smirked. If Hyde was acting out the roll, then she should too. “We’ll see, villain!” She placed her right hand on the metal door. Her skin then took on a steely matte hue. Before long her entire body seemed to be made of metal.

“Okay, that’s a neat trick- WHA!”

Tsubasa kicked off the ground, launching herself into the air “HIYAH!” She slammed a metal fist down toward Hyde’s head. Hyde narrowly avoided the attack, Tsubasa’s metal fist punching through the concert floor.

Shaking off the shock, Hyde quickly swung the Insulator down, a trial of dark and red energy following. Tsubasa met his attack with her own, although the resulting clash caused both fighters to be knocked back. Struggling to stay on his feet, Hyde noticed that Tsubasa had taken the blast with surprising grace, seemingly unfazed. “Guess you aren’t gonna go down easily,” he commented, recognizing her clear experience in battle.

Though his Insulator _did_ do some damage. While Tsubasa’s body was still made of metal, the blow was strong enough to cut her metallic skin. The cuts weren’t deep enough to be draw blood, but they still stung. “I’ve noticed,” Tsubasa jumped back and looked around the room. To her right, she saw an electrical outlet. _‘That’ll work.’_ Using her still metallic left hand, Tsubasa punched into the wall the outlet was at. Sparks started to crackle around her hand as the lights on the post began to flicker and dim until she finally Tsubasa released the circuit.

Hyde was slack-jawed when he saw electricity streamed between her fingers. “Oh shit…”

**Yura Tsubasa, Quirk: Absorption. She can absorb any non-living matter with her right hand (changing her body to emulate), and she can absorb and channel energy with her left hand.**

 

* * *

 

In the hallways of the second floor, Bakugo continued his search for Izuku, going from door to door in every room, getting angrier by the minute. His mind flashbacked to the day after they got their acceptance letters. How Izuku’s red-haired girlfriend slapped him, as well as how those other extras defended the nerd. It just made him even angrier.

 _‘He was always just a little bug.’_ He thought angrily. _‘There’s no way he has a Quirk! It must be some kind of trick! That’s the only explanation!’_

The sound of footsteps caught his attention. Izuku had exited from the room he was resting in, a look of determination on his face. A look that just pissed Bakugo off.

“Fucking Deku… Don’t fucking look down on me!” He screamed, charging forward to attack Izuku with his right hand. However, before Bakugo could react, Izuku changed the direction of his footwork without pause and stepped into Bakugo's space. In the same motion, he turned around following the same direction of Bakugo's spin, used his right hand to grab Bakugo's extended right arm by the forearm and continued with the motion to slam Bakugo's back solidly and with authority against the wall.

 _‘Did he fucking read me?!’_ That was the only thing that went through Bakugo’s mind at that moment. The impact against the ground had enough force to blur his vision, make him spit saliva and leave him breathless for a moment. Gritting his teeth, the Explosion Quirk user rapidly stood up, glaring at Izuku…

“Bakugo,” Izuku began. “You usually start with an explosive charge while preparing a big right swing. How much do you think I have been watching you? Remember the notebook you once attempted to burn? That’s my Hero Journal. I have a full analysis on pretty much everyone with Quirks I’ve met. Including you.”

“WHAT?” Bakugo shouted in bewilderment, as he remembered the last time he had tried to destroy that notebook Izuku always carried around.

“I don’t know what happened between us, but I’m no longer the Deku you like to pick on for the last decade. So, bring it on, Bakugo,” Izuku calmly declared.

**[Boost!]**

Another snarl, this time of both pain and fury, was a prelude to Bakugo’s next attempt to attack Izuku, this time by lashing out with his left hand and releasing an explosion at him. Izuku had just jumped to a side, away from the range of the explosion, which also lifted Bakugo off the ground.

 

* * *

 

In the control room, the class observed the battle with bated breath. “Izu-kun and Kido-kun separated when the battle started,” Ochako said, pointing at Izuku leaving the weapon while Hyde stayed behind. “Why are they doing it like this?”

“Midori probably has a plan for this, I think,” Mina answered. Ochako immediately turned to look at her, shocked that she was calling him by a nickname already.

“He does. He had more than enough time to come up with a plan, and if there’s someone he knows well, it is Bakugo. He knew Bakugo would come for him, leaving Yura-san behind to look for the nuclear weapon, so he went on ahead to keep Bakugo busy,” Momo explained with a smile.

As they watch Izuku wait on the second floor for the hero team, Hyde left the room the weapon was kept in. “Huh? Why’s he leaving the weapon behind?” Kaminari asked.

“He must be planning to confront Yura,” Liana answered. “They did set up several dummies throughout the third and fifth floors, so they must be planning to stall Yura and Bakugo until time runs out.” As if to confirmed it, Hyde went into one such room with a dummy and waited.

Eventually, the confrontation between Izuku and Bakugo began. They watched as Bakugo flew into a rage upon seeing Izuku, leaving his partner behind. A couple cheered for Izuku as he fought Bakugo, while others were caught off guard by the Quirks displayed by Hyde and Tsubasa. “Man, their Quirks are OP!” Kaminari exclaimed, referring to Hyde and Tsubasa as they fought.

Mineta silently hopped for Hyde to rip Tsubasa’s clothes off.

Still, most of them were curious about why Bakugo was all angry at Izuku so much. “That guy has some real anger issues. Kinda scary,” Hagakure commented.

“Must be because Midoriya’s kicking his ass,” Kirishima guessed. “That Quirk of his is so manly!”

“I doubt it’s just that,” said Liana. “Bakugo scored 5th in the entrance exam with only 77 Villain Points but no Recuse Points. It’s almost like he cares only for himself.”

“Then seeing Midoriya kicking his ass is worth something,” said Sero.

“Of course Bakugo cares only for himself,” Kyoka said with a serious look on her face, Momo and Ochako nodding in agreement.

“What are you saying?” Iida asked. He and the rest of the class had turned to them curiously.

“Izu-kun told us about his history with Bakugo. Let’s just say that it wasn’t pleasant.” Ochako said, looking back at the screen.

 

* * *

 

Izuku stared at Bakugo for a moment, smiling. He made him waste too much time here and now they were likely almost out of time. Suddenly, there was a flash from Bakugo’s right gauntlet. Bakugo, upon hearing that sound, smiled and lifted up his right arm.

“I’m all loaded up,” he said.

“W-What does that mean?” Izuku asked, confused about what he meant.

“I don’t know how you got that bullshit Quirk,” Bakugo grinned, he pupils shrinking even smaller than they ever have. “But do you know how my Quirk, Explosion, works?” He asked, pointing his arm at Izuku.

“You secrete nitroglycerin-like sweat from your hands and make it blow up,” Izuku answered.

“Yeah. Image what I could do if I had a lot of it.” Bakugo grabbed the lever and pulled it back about two inches, and a grenade pin flipped out from underneath.

Izuku’s eyes widened. “No way…” he whispered, taking a step back. “Are you saying that those…”

“So, you figured out that these gauntlets aren’t just for show, huh?” Bakugo said. “They’ve been storing up my sweat inside for one monster blast.” Bakugo has his thumb on the pin, ready to pull it.

 

* * *

 

All Might’s face didn’t show it, but he was terrified. Bakugo was taking this too far! He grabbed the microphone and exclaimed into it, “ **Young Bakugo! Don’t do it! You’ll kill him!** ”

“No way! He’s not gonna…” Kaminari yelled.

“Bakugo’s going too far! He’s gonna kill Midoriya!” Kirishima yelled.

“Run, Midoriya!” Sero yelled.

“IZUKU!” Ochako, Kyoka, and Momo yelled in horror.

 

* * *

 

“He’ll be fine as long as he dodges!” Bakugo’s grin widened from ear to ear. He wasn’t playing around.

[He’s lost his mind!]

Bakugo pulled the pin.

**KA-BOOM!**

The MASSIVE trail of explosions that headed for Izuku rocked the building and even the monitoring room, as a massive hole was created from the wall.

 

* * *

 

The students gasped as everything around them shuck and rumbled. “Whoa, whoa! This’s nuts!” Kirishima exclaimed.

Ochako could only look at the monitors in horror. All video feeds on Izuku and Bakugo’s position were either destroyed and only showed static or were blinded by the smoke. But with the live feed from outside the building, showing a massive hole with smoke coming out of it, she and everyone else feared the worst for Izuku.

“ **Come in! Come in, Young Midoriya!** ”All Might yelled into the microphone, also very worried for his student.

 

* * *

 

Hyde’s Insulator pushed Tsubasa back, while the sparks from Tsubasa’s punches doing the same. Hyde huffed as he stood his ground. “Give up, hero?”

“Not yet, villain!” Tsubasa shot back when her skin returns to normal. “Damnit! My time’s up.”

“Can’t stay like that for long, huh?” Hyde entered a stance. “Good to kn-”

**KA-BOOM!**

“W-what the hell?!” Hyde exclaimed as the whole building shook, causing the two to fall over.

When the shaking finally stopped, the two hesitantly got back up. “What was that?” She asked.

“That had to have been your partner! Is he trying to bring the building down on top of us?!” Hyde exclaimed.

Tsubasa looked over to Hyde as he got up. “I wish it wasn’t, but it must’ve been him. He has serious issues…” Tsubasa trailed off when she noticed that something was off. “What the…”

“What?” Hyde looked behind them, and then his eyes widened. “Oh, shit.”

The ‘weapon’ had toppled over due to the blast. But instead of a fake missile like Tsubasa was expecting, what she saw were several crates underneath the tarp.

“A decoy?” Tsubasa realized. “You’ve just been staling me, haven’t you?”

“Jig is up,” Hyde admitted. “The weapon isn’t on this floor at all. You can try to find it if you want, but you won’t get to it in time,” Hyde readied the Insulator. “Doesn’t mean I’m going to let you go, though.”

Tsubasa proceeded to bolt right out of the room.

“Hey! Get the hell back here!”

 

* * *

 

“These things are awesome,” Bakugo grinned, before walking towards the cloud of smoke. “The more nitro sweat that’s stored in these gauntlets, the stronger the explosion is.”

He entered into the smoke, going through it. His left gauntlet flashed red, meaning it was ready to go for another attack. “Where are you, Deku? Don’t tell me you’ve given up?!” He asked, looking around for any signs of the boy. But there wasn’t any sign of Izuku anywhere in the room. “What?! He’s gone?” He looked around, trying to see where he went. “WHERE ARE YOU, DEKU?! SHOW YOURSELF!”

Suddenly, he looked up and saw Izuku delivering a punch on Bakugo with enough force that cleared the smoke instantly. Bakugo was sent flying back into a wall, slamming into it with enough force to knock the air out of him. Bakugo got to his feet and glared hatefully at Izuku. Izuku had survived the blast, but he still took damage. There were burns around at the areas of his body that weren’t protected by the scales, while his costume was torn and burned. His wings had small tears and burned holes in them as well.

[You’re lucky that your wings took the brunt of the blast, brat. His explosions are far different than Riser’s fire]

_‘Yeah, they are…’_

_[“_ ** _Young Bakugo! If you use that kind of an attack again and I will forcibly end this match and disqualify your team!_** _”]_ All Might ordered over the intercom. _[“_ ** _If you damage the support structure it will cause the entire building to collapse, gravely injuring all of you._** _”]_

Bakugo didn’t respond. Instead, he just continued to glare hatefully at Izuku.

 

* * *

 

Back in the Monitor Room, Class 1-A were all shocked to see Izuku not too injured despite tanking the blast. “No freaking way! He survived that?”

“He must’ve protected himself with his wings, kero.” Tsuyu said, pointing her finger on the screen.

“Look at Midoriya’s face. He’s really angry now.” Kaminari commented.

“Come on, Midoriya! You can do it!” Kirishima yelled.

Ochako, Momo, and Kyoka collectively breathed a sigh of relief that he was okay.

“Beat him down, Midori!” Mina yelled on the screen.

 

* * *

 

Back on the second floor, Izuku glared at Bakugo, who glared back. “I already said that I’m no longer the Deku you use to beat me up. Like it or not, but I’m not letting you win!” He said, getting in his defensive stance.

Bakugo was angrier than he ever was, his blood boiling that he could have a heart attack at any moment. “That’s it… I had enough of this… IT’S TIME TO END THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!” He yelled in rage.

“THEN BRING IT ON!” Izuku yelled back.

 

* * *

 

Tsubasa ran to the top floor, knocking down the door with ease. “Slow down, damnit!” She heard Hyde call from behind down the stairs.

 _‘He definitely doesn’t want me on this floor. The weapon’s got to be here.’_ Until she could absorb the right material again she can’t risk fighting Hyde. She soon spotted a door that had several crates in front of it. _‘That must be it!’_

“Pale Bringer!”

Turning around, Tsubasa didn’t have Time to register Hyde rushing towards her. Before Hyde could reach Tsubasa, Tsubasa used her Quirk to absorb the concrete before jumping to the side, distancing herself away from Hyde.

Hyde swept Tsubasa off her feet with a roundhouse kick. As Tsubasa tried to get up, Hyde swiftly jumped towards her and kneed her in the face, following up with several upward slashes with his sword, sending both into the air. Hyde knocked Tsubasa back to the ground with one final swing.

Before Tsubasa could get up, Hyde quickly wrapped her wrists with the capture tape.

 _[“_ ** _Young Yura has been captured!_** _”]_ All Might declared.

At the announcement, Hyde collapsed to the ground. “Finally~!”

Tsubasa, though disappointed that she was out of the match, smiled a little. It was fun while it lasted. _‘I’m not looking forward to Sona lecturing me later.’_ She looked up to her opponent, who was breathing heavily. Apparently, he wasn’t used to this sort of activity yet. “That was pretty impressive. How did you do it?”

“…Would you believe me if I said this thing’s got a mind of its own?” replied Hyde.

 

* * *

 

Using his Quirk, Bakugo blasted towards Izuku, leading with his left hand to surprise the nerd. But Izuku was prepared for just such a strategy from his aggressor and leaped to the right the moment before the explosion had started.

Bakugo watched in disbelief as his prey charged at him while the smoke and ash from his attack still billowed through the air. He didn’t have enough to redirect his arm, let alone recharge it with enough sweat to be worth a damn.

“MOTHERFUCKER!” Bakugo raged, switching arms to discharge a small explosion toward the approaching Pawn’s abdomen with his already off-hand.

Unlike before, Izuku didn’t avoid this blast. This time, the green-haired teen pushed through the searing pain and threw a right hook with as much power as he could muster into Bakugo’s stomach. The strike sent the blond flying into a pillar, stunning him. Disoriented, Bakugo puked, the strike having far more power than he expected. What’s worse was that the only evidence of his attack was Izuku’s torn and burned costume.

“You’re going to need to try a lot harder if you want to take me down, you know?” Izuku said as he walked toward his downed opponent, an opponent that was struggling to stand.

“Go…to hell!” Bakugo slurred, clenching his stomach. Taking a gamble, the blond rolled and leaped toward the nerd that thought he was something special, aiming to surprise the little shit with his own well-practiced right swing.

Izuku tried to punch Bakugo, but with a bang and an explosion, Bakugo was suddenly gone from his line of sight. All he could see was the explosion he left behind, briefly blinding him by forcing Izuku to close his eyes in reflex. By the time Izuku realized that Bakugo had launched himself into the air and above him with one of his explosions, it was too late. Bakugo was above him and planted his feet on Izuku’s wings and shoulders, using another explosion to force his opponent to the ground.

“Do you see, Deku? You’re nothing. You don’t even belong here!” Bakugo growled at him, forcing the other boy’s face harder into the ground. “Just say you give up and leave this school forever. Then you can carry on your pathetic life in peace.”

“Don’t… call… me… that!” Izuku growled into the ground through his gritted teeth.

**[Boost!]**

Izuku shifted slightly to his left side as much as Bakugo would allow, freeing his right-wing, before driving it into Bakugo’s face. Bakugo suddenly began to see double, the bitch slap knocking him down to the ground. Izuku pushed himself up off the ground as quickly as possible, as Bakugo did the same.

Bakugo cradle the side of the face where Izuku’s wing slapped him before spitting something into his hand. It was a tooth. Growling, he looked at Izuku, who quietly glared back.

“Damnit! Don’t think for a second this is over, Deku!” Bakugo hissed. “I’m not do-”

**BUUUUUUUUURRRRR!**

_[“_ ** _Time is up! I repeat time is up! The villain team… WINS!_** _”]_ All Might’s booming voice filling the test building was the last thing Bakugo wanted to hear. His eyes went wide as he slumped to the floor.

He’d lost.

 

* * *

 

_‘What the hell…’_

Bakugo grit his teeth as he walked beside Amazon to the monitoring rooms. She was occasionally rubbing her arms but otherwise looked good as new. Bakugo didn’t know why nor cared, he was still replying everything that happed in his head.

_‘What the hell…’_

In front of them was Deku, chatting with Clownfish. Bakugo didn’t really give a shit about what they were saying. They were probably just giving themselves pats on the back for winning.

Winning.

Despite all the effort he put into this, all the bruises he took, it was still not enough.

Somehow, Deku still won!

_‘What the hell…’_

The nerd had only given him the occasional glance but otherwise ignored Bakugo as they made their trip to meet their teacher and classmates. Bakugo had many things he wanted to say. How this didn’t mean anything. How Deku had just gotten lucky, and next time he would show the clear difference between them.

But what if…

 

* * *

 

Once the four returned to the minoring room, All Might quickly had them line up out front for the evaluation. “ **Alright, that was a bit rough for the first match. I nearly had to put a stop to it but thankfully nothing too serious occurred. Though in hindsight the minute Young Bakugo was willing to use such an attack inside I should have stopped the match. Keep that in mind for the future**.” All Might warned.

Bakugo didn’t respond.

“ **Young Bakugo…** ” All Might pressed.

“Yes sir,” Bakugo whispered.

“ **Good, now we can move on.** ” All Might continued. “ **Now then… I believe it’s safe to say that the MVP for this match is…** ” With a flourish of his cape, All Might dramatically pointed to Hyde. “ **Young Kido!** ”

“Huh?!” The duel toned teen exclaimed.

“Not Yura-chan or Midoriya-chan? Kero, I thought they did pretty well.” Tsuyu pointed out.

“ **True, as it was a rather difficult decision as all three did extraordinarily well, but can anyone explain why I declared Young Kido MVP?** ”

“I can sir.” Liana raised her hand. “While all three did very well in this exercise, Kido, even though he abandoned the weapon, he did so in a rather clever rouse to distract the heroes. While in a real-life situation, more heroes, as well as police, would’ve been preset, the fact that there were dummy weapons scattered throughout the building made abandoning the weapon work.”

Hyde blushed a little.

“Yura, while she was the only one who stayed focused on the objective at hand, still abandoned her partner to go after the weapon. As for Bakugo, he clearly let his personal feelings get involved, leading him to focus sorely on Midoriya to the exclusion of all else. As for Midoriya, while he was able to adapt to the situation when needed and use his history with Bakugo to his advantage, he could’ve avoided his fight with Bakugo had he exited the building without Bakugo noticing and gone to either the weapon or to Kido. Had he done that, Bakugo would’ve wasted time searching for him on the second floor anddamage to the hideout would’ve been drastically reduced.”

Izuku and Tsubasa flinched a little, conceding to her point.

 _‘Holy…,’_ thought All Might as the rest of the class was silent, _‘She said a lot more than I expected her to. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised, given her father.’_

“ **Well said,** ” All Might stuttered for a bit.

Everyone seemed to be in awe of Liana’s assessment. They let every word soak in so they wouldn't make the same mistakes.

“ **All right, let’s move on! Can’t have you newbies use the same building twice after all, and not just because of the obvious!** **The teams for the next match will be…** ” All Might then turned around and dipped his hands into the Hero and Villain boxes. He turned around, showing them to the entire class. “ **Team G as the Heroes and Team H as the Villains!** ”

“Guess I’m up next,” Kyoka muttered. She looked over to her partner, who had ice covering half of his body for some reason. Suddenly, Kyoka felt a pair of soft lips peck her cheek.

“Good luck.” Kyoka smiled at Momo and nodded. She turned and walked over to the bi-colored teen.

As the two teams left, Hyde took the moment to ask his partner, “Are you sure you don’t need to see Recovery Girl? Bakugo gave you quite the beating.”

Izuku was currently applying anti-burn cream that Momo had made. “I’ll be fine. I can always visit her when class is over.”

“Dude, what you did there was awesome!” Mina grinned as she walked up to him. “The way you handled Bakugo was nuts! Way to go, horn buddy!”

“Horn buddy?” Izuku blinked.

Mina smiled. “Yep! You grow horns when using your Quirk. So now we’re horn buddies with me and Kirishima!” Mina stated, pointing at her own horns with one hand. “I hope we get along!” Mina bounded up to him and slung an arm around his shoulder, making him flush and tremble at how close she was.

“Ah!” Izuku managed to squeak out, “A-A-Ashido-san!” His face was on fire, _’So close! And she smells so nice!’_ He was trying very hard not to completely freak out, especially since he could feel her chest squished into his arm and the back of his shoulder. _‘So soft… Wait, WHY AM I THINKING LIKE THAT!?’_

Everyone’s reactions were quite amusing, as well. He could hear Ddraig laugh through their link, Ochako developed a tick mark, Iida's jaw hit the floor, Hyde took a step back, and Momo bilked in surprise.

Mina was lost in her own thoughts. _‘Wow… his shoulders are firm…’_ Her eyes drifted downwards, _‘And he has a cute butt.’_ She felt her cheeks warm up a little, tinting with the faintest dusting of lilac.

 

* * *

 

Rias suddenly flinched. _‘Why am I suddenly so mad?’_

 

* * *

 

Ibara stopped her sparring match with Komori. An uncomfortable chill had run up her spine. _‘That feeling again!’_

 

* * *

 

_Battle 2: Team G, Jiro Kyoka & Todoroki Shoto (Heroes) vs Team H, Kirishima Eijiro & Kaminari Denki (Villains)_

Kyoka listened intently, determining where the vibrations were coming from. “From what I can tell, it sounds like they’re both on the fourth floor. One’s near the stairs. He’s probably planning to ambush us.” She said to her teammate.

Todoroki’s costume consisted of a white shirt, pants, and boots, along with a gold-colored combat vest, while the left side of everything above his waist was covered in ice, probably to better regulate his temperature should he use fire. “I see,” Todoroki said. “Can you tell what they’re doing?”

Kyoka sighed. “No. I can get a general idea of what’s happening. The number of people in the room and where they are, but that’s about it. I wouldn’t know what they’re carrying on them or the general layout of a room.”

Todoroki nodded before he began to walk ahead. “For your own safety, please step outside.”

“Huh? Why?” She asked, retracting her earphone jack. She did as she was told, though.

“So I won’t freeze you by accident,” Todoroki touched the wall, “I’m sure they intend on fighting defensively… but that’s useless against me.” A sparkle of frost flowed from his fingers, and then the entire building started getting encased in a thick layer of ice.

“W-what the hell!?” Kyoka exclaimed as the entire building was soon covered in ice.

Todoroki’s expression didn’t change, “This match is already over. Just stay here.” He deadpanned as he started walking up to where they had determined the bomb was.

After walking up the stairs, Todoroki pushed the door to the fourth-floor open, smiling lightly when he saw one of his opponents, Kaminari if he recalled correctly, frozen up to the knees in a defensive position. “You can try to fight, I suppose, but you won't get very far with your feet frozen to the floor. Be grateful you're not barefoot.”

“Y-Y-Yo-You b-b-be-beet-er n-not u-u-underestimate me!” A shivering Kaminari started to give off sparks. “Indiscriminate Discharge 1.3 Million Volts!”

In response, Todoroki created a wall of ice to block the attack. Once the electricity died down, Todoroki used his left side to melt the wall. He blinked in confusion upon seeing Kaminari giving thumbs-up.

“Yaaaaaay~!”

Not sure he wanted to know why Todoroki continued down the hall. He soon found his remaining opponent, the chattering of his teething giving him away. Kirishima was standing in front of the bomb, ice coating his shoes keeping him in place, hands tucked under his armpits. It certainly didn’t help that he was shirtless.

“N-Not a m-manly a-a-ap-approach, Todoroki.” Kirishima shivered.

“Sorry, but I don’t have time to mess around with you,” Todoroki informed him as he walked toward the weapon.

Kirishima smiled. “Oh really?”

Todoroki’s eyes bulged when he saw Kirishima, hardening his body, easily broke out of the ice. Todoroki tried to move out of the way, but Kirishima managed to land a punch to the gut. “Gah!” he groaned as he felt the contents of his stomach escape to his mouth.

“Sorry hero, but it’s lights out for you!”

Something jammed into Kirishima’s ear, stunning him for a bit before he passed out.

Todoroki turned to the side, seeing Kyoka standing at the entrance. “You’re welcome.” She said, wrapping capture tape around Kirishima’s wrists.

 _[“_ **_Both villains have been captured! The hero team… WINS!_ ** _”]_

Todoroki rubbed the spot where Kirishima punched him. He then placed his left hand on the floor. Suddenly the room began to heat up and the ice began to melt. Kyoka looked to Todoroki in surprise. _He has heat, too?_

**Todoroki Shoto, Recommendations Student, Quirk: Half-Cold Half-Hot. He freezes with his right and burns with his left! Range and limits are unknown.**

“…Thank you, for your assistance,” he said once the ice melted.

“Don’t mention it,” Kyoka began to snicker. “I would’ve been here sooner, but Kaminari…”

“…Kaminari gave you a hard time?”

“No…” Kyoka snorted. “He’s just… so damn stupid… it’s funny!”

Todoroki blinked in confusion, wondering why Kyoka found Kaminari’s current state funny.

 

* * *

 

“I knew Kyoka could handle it,” Momo smiled as both headed back towards the observation room.

“That was incredible…” Izuku whispered, eyes practically sparkling in amazement as he wrote in his notebook. “Todoroki-kun’s Quirk is amazingly strong! I wonder how he was able to freeze not only the entire building but construct ice barriers within seconds. Is it a Quirk that freezes the moisture in the air to create ice? Does his Quirk evaporate moisture in the concrete and then freeze it from there? There are so many possibilities…!”

“Should’ve seen this coming,” Ochako chuckled.

Everyone seemed to be in awe of Todoroki’s display. Except for Bakugo, who was instead staring down at the ground, his eyes huge and his body shaking. He stood there trembling without a word. It looked like he was ready to punch something if not somebody.

 

* * *

 

_Battle 3: Team J, Mineta Minoru & Iida Tenya (Heroes) vs Team F, Liana Kozuki & Uraraka Ochako (Villains)_

Ochako inhaled through her nose as slowly as she could, holding it in for a second before letting it out through her mouth. She knew this technique worked for her, having help to calm her nerves during Rating Game against Riser. Certainly, this won’t be any harder, right?

“You doing okay, Uraraka?” Liana asked.

“Y-Yeah, just shaking off some nerves,” Ochako glanced at the bomb, which was now floating in place in the right corner by the windows. They had made sure to be careful with the prop, and since All Might wasn’t saying anything she assumed that they weren’t violating the rules of the exercise.

“Are you sure we’re allowed to do this?”

“All Might isn’t saying anything. Besides, the rules never said we couldn’t. My father would probably do something similar.” Liana extended a bone blade. “I’ll go distract them. Once you’re done here, we’ll meet up and retreat.”

 

* * *

 

“So, how we going to do this, big guy?” Mineta asked his partner, before getting a perverted look on his face, “Can I fight Kozuki-chan?” _‘Her boobs are nearly the same size as Yaoyorozu-chan’s. And Uraraka-chan has terrific curves! If I can just cop a feel either one even briefly, I’d die a happy man!*’_ He mentally added.

Iida shook his head. “No, you go after the bomb. Your size and Quirk would be better suited to that.” Iida knew that Mineta would be better suited to acquired ht bomb. That was the objective. The villains came second. “I’ll deal with the villains!”

“What? No fair!” Mineta began to cry, “Why do you get to fight those babes while I’m stuck with-”

_[“_ **_Alright, heroes and villains… your time starts now!_ ** _”]_

Iida began walking through the front entrance, the still crying Mineta pulling some of his purple balls from his scalp and started scaling the building. _‘Damn greedy bastard!’_ Mineta mentally hissed. _‘He’s just like Midoriya! Wanting all the boobs to himself!’_

Iida shook his head as he walked. Clearly, from the way Mineta was acting to how he was staring at their female classmates, Mineta’s desire to be a hero wasn’t as noble as his own. _‘I hope Mineta-kun has more interest in being a hero then he’s showing. It’s almost like he’s just here for the girls. Is he not concern that’ll bring dishonor to both U.A._ and _our class?’_

Upon entering a large room, he stopped. There, standing near the center, was Liana. “Took you long enough, hero. The stage has been set and the act has already started. This is the end!” The way Liana stood there, along with the tone of her voice, sent chills down Iida’s spine.

 _‘She certainly seems to be doing a good job playing the villain,’_ Iida thought. “That doesn’t matter, villain! We _will_ stop you, no matter wh-!”

Bone spikes suddenly bursted from the ground around him, each pointed directly at him. Iida didn’t had time to gape as he charged forward, the bone spikes just barely missing his body. His costume, though, had been pierced by the spikes, leaving deep gashes that exposed his skin. Iida looked to Liana, eyes wide in shock at how she was able to attack him like that.

Fluttering open her cloak to raise her right arm, Iida noticed that bone was protruding into the ground from her left. _‘So that’s how she-!’_

Breaking away from the bone in the ground, Liana sped toward Iida, delivering a roundhouse kick right to the face. “Gack!” Iida groaned, his helmet flying off as blood started to pour from his broken nose. The recoil threw him into nearby crates.

 

* * *

 

As he climbed into an open window, Mineta could hear the groans of pain from Iida through the earpiece. _‘Maybe it was a good idea for me to look for the weapon…’_ he thought fearfully.

 

* * *

 

Iida staggered up, recovering from the kick somewhat. “Ugh, I admit, villain, I may have underestimated you. But I will not-!”

“You haven’t forgotten about me, have you?” Iida looked up. A second later a massive crate just barely hit his head. Ochako had a big, fake pout on her lips as she casually hefted another massive crate over her head. “You played right into our hands. Were you even trying to win?”

“W-What are you saying, villain!?” Iida demanded.

“I said…” Ochako plastered her best evil, nasty grin onto her face as Liana got away, “You’ve already lost, Heroes!” With that she threw the crate at Iida, releasing her Quirk’s effect on the object the moment it left her hands. Iida avoided the crate as Ochako got away.

 _[“Iida, I can’t find the weapon anywhere!”]_ Mineta called from the earpiece.

“Do not fret, comrade! The villains must’ve hidden it somewhere. We will not-”

_[“_ **_This match is over. The villain team… WINS!_ ** _”]_

Iida’s widened at what he heard. _[“W-what?”]_ he heard Mineta stutter. _[“But there’s still time!”]_

 _[“_ ** _That may be, but there is no reason to continue this match now, Young Mineta. Your opponents had a brilliant plan and put you in a no-win scenario. You lost. But you should not look at it that way. You can always come out ahead if you learn from the experience._** _”]_ The two boys stood there in shock for a moment.

In a shocked stupor, the two exited the building, finding Ochako happily chatting with Liana. “How did we lose?” Iida asked.

Liana smiled. “I’m sure All Might will explain once we get back.”

 

* * *

 

_‘What the shit?! Even Round Face?!’_

Bakugo’s teeth creaked from how much pressure he was putting on them. It took all his strength to not shout his thoughts for all to hear. Doing so would be admitting defeat, and he would rather die than do that.

Once the two teams returned, All Might quickly declared Liana as the MVP, to the surprise of no one in the monitoring room. “You and Kozuki-san were amazing!” Izuku gushed, “Mineta-san and Iida-san never even had a chance to win! What a brilliant plan! And your use of your Quirk was just awesome!”

Ochako rubbed the back of her head in response, “Ehehehe…”

“Kero, it was incredible. I never even thought of doing something like that. Kero, kero,” Tsuyu tapped her finger on her chin as she questioned her new friend.

“I still say it was cheating.” Kirishima grumbled a bit, “Totally not manly.”

“What are you talking about?” Iida asked.

“What do you mean ‘cheat’?” Mineta asked.

“Kozuki-san and Ochako-san did nothing wrong or anything against the rules.” Said Momo. “They won fair and square.”

“ **That’s right. Young Kozuki and Young Uraraka both embraced the spirit of the exercise. Observe!** ” All Might declared and drew their attention by pointing to the screens.

_A video showed Iida moving through the corridor of the base. Once he entered the room Liana was in, however, Ochako exited from a nearby room, hidden by a tarp and a few boxes. Over her head was the bomb. Giggling, Ochako took the bomb out of the building without Iida noticing._

“What the hell?!” Mineta exclaimed. “How was that _not_ cheating?”

“ **I never stated that you had to keep the bomb in the testing area.** ” All Might grinned widely, “ **In fact, I am ecstatic that at least one of you has thought of it. It is an important lesson for you to learn. Villains _WILL_ cheat and do everything they can to win, and often they have the advantage in that they set the pace of any combat.**” He chuckled, “ **That said, the rest of you are bard from repeating this. Young Kozuki shall be getting extra points for thinking of it.** ”

“To have been so easily tricked…” Iida was shaking.

 

* * *

 

_Battle 4: Team B, Yaoyorozu Momo & Hagakure Toru (Heroes) vs Team D, Tokoyami Fumikage & Aoyama Yuga (Villains)_

“I’m going to get serious!” Hagakure piped eagerly, “The gloves are coming off!”

Considering her costume was composed of only gloves and sneakers, all she did was take those off. Momo looked over and noticed the micro transceivers they had been given was floating where Hagakure’s ear would be.

“Hagakure-san, the transceiver will give away your position,” Momo noted, “I think for this, we should stick together. You could use your hand to cover your ears, but you would be a hand down.”

Nodding in agreement (maybe), Hagakure took it off and handed it to Momo before asking, “So how do you want to do this?”

“First, let’s find out where they are,” Momo produced a pair of infrared heat vision goggles. She scanned the building before finding them. It looked like Tokoyami and Aoyama had decided to keep their weapon on the first-floor in a corner room.

“Looks like they want to play a defensive game,” Momo murmured. “They must be afraid that you can sneak past them if they’re not careful.”

The game started, with both girls quickly running to their destination, Momo producing various items on the way that would help. They stopped at the door leading in the room and began to prepare for their assault. Momo placed a tiger on her lips in the direction she was sure Hagakure was in.

Gently, she placed plastic strips on the door, two on the hinges and one at the handle. “Get back,” she whispered. When she heard Hagakure take a few steps back, Momo connected a wire to each strip before producing a detonator. Once she took several steps back from the door, she pressed the red button on top of it.

The door suddenly exploded. Inside they could hear the shocked screams of both Tokoyami and Aoyama, the later screaming like a little girl. Seconds later, Momo threw in several flashbangs. A loud noise and white light suddenly filled the room, blinding and deafening them. As the two defenders tried to recover, Hagakure and Momo had already charged in, recovering the nuclear weapon.

 _[“_ **_The weapon has been retrieved. The hero team… WINS!_ ** _”]_

 

* * *

 

With a grunt, Monoma landed face-first on the ground, Itsuka standing triumphal above him. “Alright, Kendo!” Tetsutetsu cheered.

“Nicely done, girl!” said Setsuna.

“Impressive,” Mizu clapped. “Both the best time and avoided a single hit. Well done, Kendo-chan.”

“Thank you sensei,” Itsuka bowed.

“Ugh… If I was able to use my Quirk, this would’ve been different,” Monoma groaned as he got up.

Mizu sighed. “As I said before, training like this is important for when you face a situation where you can’t use your Quirk. If you were up against a villain that’s either a Mutation-type Quirk or can fight at a distance, like Tsunotori-chan, then you need to learn how to fight without your Quirk.”

Monoma nodded, seemingly understanding.

“Anyway, that’ll be it for today,” Mizu said to the rest of the class. “Tomorrow it’ll get serious, so be ready."

 

* * *

 

_Battle 5: Team E, Asui Tsuyu & Shoji Mezo (Heroes) vs Team A, Ashido Mina & Sero Hanta (Villains)_

_[“_ **_The weapon has been retrieved. The hero team… WINS!_ ** _”]_

Tsuyu ribbited happily from where she landed on the bomb.

“Dangit!” Mina cried. “We almost had you!”

Shoji, from his position halfway stuck in a hole created by Mina’s acid, sighed in relief. “Need help, man?” Sero offered.

 

* * *

 

“ **Alright, now students meet up at the exit for some closing statements.** ” All Might directed.

Doing as they were told, all the students made their way to the Ground Beta’s exit. As they did Bakugo was slowly trailing behind everyone, taking in everything he’d seen today. _That Half and Half bastard, and Bone Girl, they’re so strong. I always thought I was the best, but… I lost to Deku… And there’s those two. Can I really beat them?_ As he thought this, All Might faced his students.

“ **Excellent work out there everyone. You all did well.** ” All Might praised. “ **And apart from a few, we’ve had no serious injuries. Just remember to take the lessons you learned today to heart. It was your first real training exercise but it won’t be your last, so be sure to keep improving.** ”

“Man, after Aizawa-sensei’s class yesterday it feels kind of nice to have a much more straight forward class.” Kaminari, having regained use of his brain, noted.

“ **Good to hear. Now… watch a pro exit like he has somewhere to be.** ” All Might bolted at lightning speed down the exit.

“So cool!” shouted Kirishima.

“Why is he in a rush, though?” Tsubasa asked.

“He must be getting ready to patrol the streets! Such dedication despite being a teacher!” Iida theorized.

Momo and Kyoka looked at one another with concerned expressions.

 

* * *

 

Izuku sighed in relief, walking back to class from Recovery Girl’s office. It wasn’t just because she healed all the burns he got from Bakugo earlier. He was _incredibly_ glad that his first kiss was with Rias. And it was far more pleasant than the kiss he got from the little old woman. He actually wouldn’t mind if-

Izuku slapped himself, trying to get that thought out of his head. He had enough to worry about already.

[Like what?]

_‘…It’s real easy to forget you can hear my thoughts.’_

[I can only hear them when you’re thinking so loud.] Ddraig retorted.

Izuku simply sighed. Once he got back to class, he saw that everyone was buzzed form their first training exercise. And it wasn’t long before everyone went to him.

“You were the man, Midoriya!” Kirishima grinned, slapping Izuku hard on the back.

“Yeah, you were so awesome, you dodged that crazy explosion like a champ,” Kaminari grinned. Mina was currently clutched onto his shoulder, making him go rigid as he felt two very soft somethings press into his arm.

“It sure was impressive, how you and Kido-chan dealt with Bakugo-chan and Yura-chan,” Even Tsuyu had made her way into the corner group. “By the way, my name’s Asui Tsuyu, just call me Tsuyu.”

Over in the middle of the room, Tokoyami sat on a desk watching the crowd in the corner with a raised eyebrow. “So noisy.”

“Tokoyami, stop using that desk as a chair, get off of it this instant!” Iida marched his way over and began waving his hands erratically.

“Iida, you need to calm down,” Hagakure commented.

“Iida doesn’t relax, does he?” Kyoka commented.

Izuku chuckled nervously, not use to all the attention he was getting. Letting his eyes trail around the class, he noticed that Bakugo wasn’t in his seat. Heaving a sigh, Izuku asked. “Where’s Bakugo?”

“You just missed him,” Ochako answered. “He left a little while ago.”

 

* * *

 

Izuku let out a yawn. After a rather eventful day, he’d rather go home and rest. But he received a text from Rias saying that they have club activities today and that he and the others still needed to actually JOIN the Occult Research Club now that they were U.A. students. She had already asked the staff for them to join, but since they were hero course students they needed confirmation from them. It mostly involved writing out a small forum and agreement that their training came before their club activities.

Izuku was the first to finish and had decided to go on ahead. As he walked outside, Izuku thought back to Bakugo. A small part of him actually wanted to talk to him, but he wasn’t sure if he could get the chance.

“Deku…”

He stopped, flinching nervously. There, waiting at the gate, was Bakugo, his usual angry scowl on full display. _‘Uh oh…’_

Bakugo walked up to him, stopping just a few feet short. “Look, I don’t know how you got that bullshit Quirk, but if you think you can get away with tricking me for so long, then you’re dead!”

“W-What, no! I told you, I didn’t trick you! I’m a late bloomer. I didn’t discover my power until a few months ago!”

“Bullshit!” Bakugo hissed. “If you always had that then we would've found out when we were kids! That red-haired bitch had something to do with it, didn’t she!”

Izuku narrowed his eyes dangerously. “Don’t call her that.”

“I can call her whatever the hell I want!” Bakugo screeched. “Now tell me what the fuck she did!”

“S-She didn’t do anything!” Izuku stuttered.

“You’re shit at lying, remember?!” Bakugo growled. “What’d she do?!”

“I told you, nothing!” Izuku retorted. “I get that you’re angry, but I’m here now, whether you like it or not. My friends, people who actually believe in me, helped me get this far. I mean, sure it’s not a Quirk, but I was able to make it into U.A. like you. I earn my place here and…” Izuku trailed off, noticing the blank look on Bakugo’s face.

“The fuck do you mean?” Bakugo was actually confused now.

Izuku blinked, replaying what he said in his head. His eyes then widened when he realized what he let slip. “Uh, well, it’s a little complicated, but what I actually meant was…” Izuku stopped talking, now noticing the way Bakugo was grating his teeth. He looked about ready to explode. _‘Oh fuck me!’_

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re blabbering about, and frankly I don’t care,” Bakugo hissed. “But that doesn’t matter. What matters is… I KEEP LOSING!”

“...Huh?”

“I lost to you during the entrance exam!” Bakugo yelled. “And I lost to you again today! And it’s not just you!” Bakugo looked at Izuku in the eye. Tears had begun to form in the corners of the explosive teen’s eyes. “When I saw the matches with Icy-Hot and Bone Girl… I realized I couldn’t beat either of them one-on-one! I saw each one of those extras do something that… that I could’ve lost to if I wasn’t careful! If I don't get better!”

He pointed to Izuku, his teeth grinding against each other as he growled. “But I’m not just going to stay the way I am, the person who lost to a damn nerd like you!” He thumbed at his chest and shouted, “I’m going to get stronger, Deku! I’m going to train so goddamn hard that the next time we fight… it’s going to be me who’s on top! You hear that!? Do you understand me, Deku!?” Bakugo turned around and walked away.

Izuku watched as Bakugo left. [Uh, are you okay, Partner?]

Izuku sighed, looking down at his left hand. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. But now Kacc-… Bakugo knows that…”

[Yeah. That could be a problem down the road. Think you should tell Rias?]

Izuku looked down, unsure. “I don’t know…”

He suddenly felt a hand placed on his shoulder.

Izuku turned around to see Rias smiling at him. Behind her were Yuuto, Momo, Kyoka, Ibara, and Ochako. “B-Buchou? Guys? How long have…?”

“Just before Bakugo started throwing a hissy fit,” Kyoka answered.

Ibara and Ochako ran up to him. “Are you okay?” Ochako asked.

“He didn’t do anything to you?” Ibara asked.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Izuku reassured. “But I… kinda slipped out that my power isn’t a Quirk.”

Rias frowned in disappointment. “We heard,” Izuku flinched. “But since you didn’t mention anything about the supernatural, it’s should be okay. So long as Bakugo doesn’t tell anyone.”

“He won’t,” Izuku said. “He’s not the type to do something like that.”

Rias nodded before smiling, “I’m just glad you’re okay. Momo and the others told me what happened today. I’m proud that you stood up to Bakugo like that, but when they told me he used such an attack on you…” She put her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

Ibara and Ochako, while they were jealous for a second, quickly joined in on the hug. “I honestly thought you died for a moment, Izu-kun,” Ochako whimpered.

“When they told me, it reminded me of when you fought Riser. I thought he was going to kill you. You had no idea how worried I was,” Rias said.

“Please, don’t do anything so reckless again,” Ibara said.

The boy began to turn red due to the hug. Or, more accurately, because of how Rias and the girls were hugging him. His head was on Rias’ breast. He could feel just how soft yet firm it was even through her jacket. He could also feel the breasts of Ochako and Ibara pressed softly against him. He’d honestly wonder if he will _ever_ get used to this. Calming down some, Izuku returned the hug. “I promise.”

Rias smiled before ruffling Izuku’s hair. “Now come on. There’s something we need to discuss with the others.”

 

* * *

 

“Oh that no good lucky son of a bitch plain-looking broccoli headed asshole…” Mineta was crying tears of blood. He and Kaminari had seen the exchange between Izuku and Bakugo from the second floor of the school. Then they saw the three girls hugging him. “…And yet, at the same time…”

“…He’s a god among men…” both he and Kaminari muttered as tears went down their faces.

“We have _GOT_ to learn his secrets!” Kaminari said. No, he _insisted_.

Mineta nodded his head rapidly. The two WILL learn the secrets of acquiring a harem, even if it kills them!**

 

* * *

 

Later that night…

“Do you see this? Say’s here he’s a teacher now.” A lanky, young man tossed a newspaper aside. He was sitting in a bar, the bartender giving him a glass of whiskey. The paper talked about how All Might started teaching at U.A. High. “It makes you wonder… about what would happen if villains killed the Symbol of Peace.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god~!!! This was NOT easy to figure out! Deku vs Kacchan was easy enough since LOTS of other people do it. Figuring out how everyone else did in the battle trials, ESPECIALLY when the matchups are different from canon, was a nightmare!
> 
> Also, before anyone wonders why Kaminari’s electricity didn’t hit Todoroki, I looked it up and apparently ice is a poor conductor of electricity, which is ironic since it’s just frozen water. And I’m sorry about Battle 5 being so short. I honestly couldn’t think of a way it would’ve been interesting.
> 
> Also, the scene where Ochako and Liana took the bomb out of the building was inspired by a similar scene in Primordial Vortex’s "The Emerald Phoenix".
> 
> Also, Tsubasa’s Quirk was inspired by the Quirk Mugiwara N0 Luffy gave Makoto in “Thieves Can Be Heroes!”, though it’ll be more like Classic Ben 10’s Kevin Levin than Marvel’s Absorbing Man.
> 
> Anyway, next chapter will mostly deal with the opposite (1-A doing spars while 1-B does battle trials), though I doubt I’m gonna go into detail after the headache this was.
> 
> EDIT: Did a few changes here, mostly with how Bakugo confronted with Izuku. Hope you don’t mind.  
> *Yeah, no. You’d die kicking and screaming, being slowly torn apart by an angry Izuku for daring to even THINK of touching his future mates.
> 
> **I mean, MAYBE Kaminari, but not Mineta. Unless he finds a woman into midget men.


	22. Another Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas and happy new year! Anyway, I hope you all had fun during the holidays, wherever you are in this beautiful yet twisted world. As I'm sure some of you are aware, I did a retcon about Momo having One For All. After realizing that she would hardly use the Quirk, I decided to do a little editing and have that aspect removed from her (sorry OP!Momo fans. She'll still be really powerful but without One For All).
> 
> As for who will get it? Well, I'm open to suggestions for now. I mean, on AO3 alone there are fics where not just Mirio, but also Kirishima, Tsuyu, Ochako, Shinsou, and even BAKUGO getting One For All. Obviously, neither Ochako nor Bakugo will be getting One For All as Ochako's a Rook and I have plans for Bakugo. *chuckles evilly*
> 
> Mirio won't be getting One For All either... I think. I just get the feeling that he'd refused the offer, even if Sir Nighteye pressured him to accept. He worked hard to get to where he was, using his own Quirk that he mastered, so being handed the mantel of the number one hero on a silver platter probably won't sit well with him. So the ones I like most who could inherit One For All are Kyoka and Itsuka. It'll be one of them, but I'm leaning towards Kyoka at the moment.

Once the Gremory Peerage had gathered in the clubroom, Rias had told them the news she received earlier that day. Suffice to say, they were surprised. “Riser’s sister is transferring here?” Izuku asked.

“That’s right,” Rias said. “Sona has already talked with the principle, so everything should be set soon.”

“This feels kinda sudden,” Momo commented. The Rating Game against Riser was still fresh in their minds, so the thought that his Bishop and younger sister had decided to study here was rather surprising.

“Yeah, doesn’t she have a lot of duties to do back in the Underworld or something?” Ochako asked.

“Normally that be the case, but since she’s a free Bishop now, she has a lot of freedom.”

“Free Bishop?”

At Ibara’s question, Rias elaborated, “Apparently after the Rating Game, it seems that Lady Phenex, at Ravel’s request, had Riser trade Ravel to her Peerage. Since she doesn’t take part in Rating Games, it leaves Ravel with a significant amount of free will. As a ‘free’ Bishop, she’s decided to come here to study, impressed with me, Sona, and Kudelia. Though her mother told me that she seems quite eager to meet Izu-kun once again.”

Izuku blushed slightly, while Ochako and Ibara had small scowls. “Wait, trade? You mean if you wanted to you could trade Momo or someone else with another devil like a collectible card?” Kyoka asked.

“Not exactly. It has to be decided by both parties, and the traded pieces have to be the same type and value. For example, if I wanted to trade Izuku, which I never will, the recipient would need to trade all eight of their Pawns.”

“When is she arriving? And what year is she?” Yuuto asked, getting everyone back on track.

“I just got the message that she arrived a little while ago,” Rias answered. “She’ll be living at a Gremory owned apartment complex not far from U.A. Once she’s done settling in, she’ll be joining U.A. Middle School tomorrow as a third-year, same class as Koneko.”

It was now Koneko’s turn to scowl.

“Should we go visit her?” Izuku asked.

“Tomorrow before school,” Rias answered. “We need to let her settle in first, then we can visit.”

 

* * *

 

The next day came, and Izuku, Rias, Ochako, and Ibara left the apartment earlier than normal, wanting to pick up Ravel for her first day. “Wow, these are fancy apartments,” Ochako commented.

“These are supported by the Gremory family,” Rias said. “Before I moved into your apartment, Izu-kun, I used to stay here.”

 _‘No surprise there…’_ the other three sweat-dropped.

The four eventually spotted Ravel, standing by the door of an apartment, wearing the same uniform as Koneko and carrying a dark green bag. Beside her stood a familiar face. _‘Isabela?’_

Ravel and the Rook soon took note of their approach. Ravel smiled in delight, “Hello Lady Rias,” she greeted before she shyly looked to Izuku. “Uh, hello, Red Dragon Emperor.”

Izuku stared for a moment, thinking that the U.A. uniform made her look cute for a second, before greeting the young Phenex. “Yeah, hello Ravel-chan.”

Ravel fumed and stomped her foot. “That’s Ravel Phoenix to you, mister,” she pouted cutely, before looking away with a blush. “This is why I hate speaking with low-class devils.”

Ibara and Ochako chuckled nervously while Izuku sweat-dropped. It seemed she still had some attitude. “I take it you’ve already settled in?” Rias asked.

“Bags unpacked and everything’s squared away,” Isabela answered.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how’s your brother doing,” Izuku nearly choked.

“…He’s done nothing but broad in his bedroom ever since the Rating Game,” Ravel answered. “Losing to you and having Rias stolen away really hit him hard. Though I guess he deserved it, relying too much on natural ability. It was bound to happen eventually.”

“We heard that you’re part of your mother’s peerage now,” Ochako said. “Any reason why you decided to leave your brother’s peerage?”

“N-Nothing in particular,” Ravel began twiddling her thumbs as she blushed. “Just that… maybe one day when he’s a high-class devil… the Red Dragon Emperor could…”

Izuku blinked in confusion, wondering what Ravel was talking about. Rias, Ochako, and Ibara had a smidge bit of jealous swell within. “Uh, there’s no reason for you to call me that. I much rather prefer you call me by my name,” Izuku said.

“I-I can call you by your name!?” Ravel’s eyes widened in a mix of shock and wonder, her face particle gleaming. Somehow, Izuku found her even cuter than before. Quickly, Ravel recomposed herself. “Very well, then I will give you the honor of being called Lord Izuku for now on. Sound good?”

Not even close.

“Now that’s out of the way, is it alright if… I give you a mouthful of my tea?” she offered.

Izuku blinked with a confused expression on his face.

“Umm… what I meant was…” Ravel turned away from him again, looking even more embarrassed, pushing her index fingers together. “Lately I’ve been making my own cakes and they go great with tea. Maybe some time you can try them. I mean not now! I have to get to school! Bye!” She finished quickly and rushed away from him.

“Ah, Ravel-chan, the school is the other way!” Izuku called out.

Ravel stopped. She slowly turned back around, her face red due to embarrassment. “I-I knew that!”

Isabela smiled in amusement. “She’s right, we need to leave soon,” Rias said.

“Very well.” Isabela nodded. “With your leave, I’ll head back now.”

“Thank you, Isabela.” Ravel nodded to her brother’s Rook, signaling her dismissal.

Isabela bowed slightly, her right hand laid across her chest and over her heart. “My Lady,” she looked around briefly, ensuring no one would be watching before she repeated the gesture to Izuku. “I’ll be waiting for a rematch, _Lord_ Izuku.” With that, a circle of orange sigils blazed beneath her and she departed.

Izuku sweat-dropped. That was going to become a thing, isn’t it?

 

* * *

 

“Just keep calm, be polite, and above all, remember that the humans around you are classmates on equal footing, not inferior.”

“I know that,” Ravel huffed in annoyance. “This is the third time now.”

Rias raised an eyebrow as they walked together. “The third?”

“Once from mother and father, once from Isabela this morning, and now you. I don’t see why it’s such a big deal.”

“Ravel, in human culture, private tutors are pricey and not always affordable or even available. As such, this school system is the only one they know and we all need to respect that. That means pretending to be ordinary human students.”

Ravel fumed for a minute before nodding in understanding.

As the small group continued to walk they were soon joined by Koneko, who lived nearby. “Good morning, Koneko-chan,” Ibara greeted.

“…Morning.” Koneko returned the greeting.

“Koneko, I have a favor to ask,” Rias said. “I’m sure you remember Ravel Phenex. She’ll be in your class starting today, so can you be her guide for the time being?”

“…Okay,” Koneko turned toward Ravel. “I’ll keep an eye on the pathetic fried chicken girl.”

Ravel flinched. “What did you just call me?”

“…Pathetic,” Koneko bluntly answered.

Ravel gasped. “How dare you! I can’t believe you have the audacity to insult a member of the Phenex Family.”

“You just came to the human world and already you’re causing trouble for Buchou,” Koneko retorted. “That’s why I called you pathetic.”

“At least it’s better than being a little pussy like you!” Ravel shot back.

“Fried chicken.”

As Ravel and Koneko glared at each other, the older devils nervously looked on. “I think this might be a mistake,” Izuku muttered.

“I believe you’re right…” said Rias.

As the group approached U.A.’s front entrance, they soon noticed what looked like a small mob had gathered there. “Is this normal?” Ravel asked.

Suddenly, they were all surrounded by cameras and microphones.

“You! What’s it like having the Symbol of Peace himself as a teacher?”

“What class does he teach?”

“How does All Might take his coffee?”

“U-Um…” Izuku, along with the others, all began to grow nervous.

Fortunately, Rias came to the rescue. “Well, we haven’t seen him much in General Studies, so…”

The reporters immediately left them alone. Izuku and the others breathed a sigh of relief as they got through. “Thanks, Buchou,” Ochako said.

“No problem,” Rias replied. She then looked back at the reporters, who now seemed to be interring Iida… and, judging from the expressions, it wasn’t what they were hoping for. “Still, it’s only been two days since school started, and already the media is close to flooding the school. I guess that’s what happens when the number one hero suddenly starts teaching.”

“Is All Might really here?” Ravel asked.

“Yep!” Ochako replied. “And he’s a lot like he is on tv!”

Ravel’s eyes grew wide. “Uh, is it possible… for you to get me his autograph?”

“Ah, that’s right! I forgot to ask him for one yesterday!” Izuku exclaimed. “Wait, you’re a fan of All Might?”

“Of course I am!” Ravel exclaimed. “Nearly everyone in the Underworld knows about him.”

“She’s right,” Rias said. “A lot of heroes from around the globe are famous in the Underworld. Many devils have tried to recruit them over the years… with mix results. And All Might is at the top of that list, but since no one knows his real name and his Quirk is unknown, all attempts to recruit him have failed.”

“Does… that mean he knows about the devils?” Izuku asked.

“I sure he’s at least aware of us,” Rias answered. “Though I doubt he knows that we, specifically, are devils. Now then, let’s hurry and get to class.”

As they went to their respective classes (or school, in the case of Koneko and Ravel), Aizawa chose this moment to confront the reporters. “Um, about All Might… Wow, you’re scruffy… What’s your deal?” A female news reporter asked with a grimace as Aizawa stood in front of the media.

“All Might’s not on campus at the moment. You’re disturbing the students, so go home.” Aizawa turned around and went through the front entrance.

“Wait! I want to speak to All Might directly!”

Aizawa sighed and shook his head as he kept walking, _‘How does All Might deal with these idiots on a daily basis?’_

“Hey! Just a little interview is fine! Just let me see All Might!” Aizawa ignored her. “Why that… FINE! If they won’t give us All Might I’ll go in and get an interview myself!” She began walking past the front entrance.

“No, wait!” Just then a buzzer went off, followed by a multitude of metal gates that sealed off the press's entry to the school.

“W-What the hell?!” The female reporter screamed as she fell back.

“It’s the U.A. Barrier. If someone tries to get in without a Student ID or a pass, the security system kicks in. There are sensors all over the school.”

“Security system!? It nearly killed me!” She got up, bruising herself. “Keeping the public out.” The female reported growled in irritation. “This school thinks it’s untouchable! The least they could do is grant me one interview.” As the reporters began to vent their frustrations at being unable to even get a comment about All Might, they failed to notice that, far behind them, a mysterious figure was standing there…

 

* * *

 

Liana sighed in relief, having dodged the mob of reporters out by the entrance. Having a Quirk that can let her pole-vault over them certainly helped. Once Liana entered her homeroom class, she noticed that she was one of the first to arrive, with only Iida, Izuku, Momo, Kyoka, Ochako, Bakugo, and Todoroki in the class.

Talking her seat, Liana pulled out a book to help pass the time until class started.

“Hmm… Castling seems useful.”

Liana’s attention was drawn from her book toward Midoriya Izuku.

He was taking notes, like always, but instead of any of the books they were provided with, he was reading a chess guide book. “I never knew chess had so many terms and phrases. Not to mention some of the special moves certain pieces have. It’s a lot more complicated than I thought,” he mumbled, writing something in his notebook.

Her curiosity piqued, Liana approached the boy. “I wasn’t aware you were interested in chess, Midoriya.”

Izuku nearly jumped. “O-Oh, Kozuki-san!” He shook his head. “Not exactly. A friend of mine is and she got me interested.” That wasn’t exactly a lie. Rating Games do share some rules with chess.

Liana nodded before she smiled. “If you want, I can teach you.”

“You’d… do that?” Izuku asked.

Liana nodded again before adding, “But in exchange, I want to ask you something.”

“W-What is it?”

Liana looked back to her book. “Not here. Let’s wait until lunch.”

Izuku blinked. “Uh… okay?”

It wasn’t long before everyone else arrived, followed by Aizawa. He nodded when he saw that all the students had already taken their seats. “You’re becoming more rational as time passes. That’s good. Allow me to congratulate you on your hard work during yesterday’s combat training. I saw the video and the results, and in general, you have done a good job.” He took the time to explain to each student what they did right and what they did wrong, some more than others.

Once Aizawa finished, however… “Now then, onto homeroom business. We need to do something that will decide your futures.”

Dread filled all the students. _‘Is it another Quirk test?’_

“You all need to pick a Class Representative.”

 _‘Oh good, just normal school stuff.’_ Everyone sighed in relief before they began jumping out of their seats.

“I want to be class rep! Pick me!” Kirishima yelled out.

“Me too!” Kaminari followed suit.

“It’s a job made for-”

“I’ll be the leader!” Mina shouted, interrupting Aoyama.

Izuku silently chuckled as the class all argued about wanting the position of Class Representative. Even though this was normal school stuff, it was different. In a normal school, the role of Class Representative just meant extra work so almost no one wanted to be stuck with the roll. At hero schools like U.A., however, being the Class Representative is a sure-fire way to get noticed by hero agencies despite the extra work it had.

“Silence, everyone!” Iida yelled, standing up. The class stop. “The duty of Class Representative is to lead others, that’s not something just anyone can do, you must first have the trust of every student in the classroom. Therefore the most logical way to fill this position is democratically.” Here he stood as straight as he could. “We should hold an election to chose our leader.”

Iida had said it so seriously, yet was shaking in anticipation. Everyone soon realized that he wanted them to vote for him.

“Is that really the best idea?” Kaminari asked.

“We’ve only known each other for three days, how would we know who we can trust?” Tsuyu voiced her question with a finger to her cheek.

“Yeah. Wouldn’t everyone just vote for themselves?” Kirishima asked, leaning on his table.

“Most people will, but that means whoever does receive multiple votes must truly be the most suitable person for the job,” here Iida turned to Aizawa, who was already in his sleeping bag. “It’s the best way, right sir?”

“Do what you want, just decide before my naps over,” with that Aizawa crashed to the floor.

_‘He’s so lazy…’_

“Thank you for your trust.” Iida needlessly bowed.

After being handed a piece of paper, Izuku thought about what to do. _‘Voting for myself will give me an advantage if someone else votes for me, but the point of this election is to chose someone I think is capable of being the Class Representative… I’m not sure I would do well…’_ he trailed off and discretely looked around the room. _‘I can think of at least one person who could do it.’_

It took another five minutes before the results were tallied up. The top three were:

1st: Midoriya Izuku, 5

2nd: Yaoyarozu Momo, 4

3rd: Liana Kozuki, 2

“I got five votes!?” Izuku exclaimed in disbelief.

“Who the fuck voted for shitty Deku?!” Bakugo roared in indignation.

“Did you honestly think anyone was gonna vote for you?” Sero grinned a little at Bakugo’s outrage.

Much of the class agreed with the pair.

“Zero votes…” Iida lamented as he sat at his desk. “I expected this, but still…”

Before anyone could comment on this, Aizawa got up. “Alright, that settles it. Midoriya is the class rep, and Yaoyorozu is vice rep,” the teacher said in a bored and monotone voice as the two choices stood and bowed to the class.

 _‘Hmm, I don’t mind this set up at all,_ ’ Momo thought, smiling and winking at Izuku, who blushed but returned the smile. This wasn’t lost on Kyoka, who wondered what her girlfriend was doing.

 

* * *

 

The rest of the morning passed by and soon it was lunchtime. As most of Class 1-A left, Izuku and Momo stayed behind to discuss with Aizawa about their new responsibilities. It didn’t take long, as Aizawa soon took another nap. _‘How many naps does he need?’_ Izuku thought to himself as he and Momo exited the classroom. He didn’t get far, though, when he noticed that Liana was waiting outside.

Remembering their talk earlier, Izuku told Momo, “I’ll catch up.”

Momo, though slightly concerned, left for the cafeteria. Once she was out of earshot Liana spoke up. “I’m glad to see you remembered.”

“R-Right,” Izuku nodded. “You wanted to ask me something?”

“Yes. I wanted to ask about your Quirk,” she said.

“Huh?” Izuku didn’t know what to say at first. “What do you mean?”

“Think back to the Quirk Apprehension Test,” Liana continued. “I saw Aizawa use his Quirk on you a couple of times, but you weren’t affected in the slightest. During the Battle Trials, your Quirk showed all the hallmarks of both emitter and transformation-types, yet it’s immune to Aizawa’s Quirk. And it’s obviously not a mutation-type Quirk. So what is it?”

Izuku went wide-eyed before calming down. “Well, I’m a late bloomer. I didn’t get my power until a few months ago, so there’s a lot about it I don’t know.” Izuku said, replaying what he, Rias, and the others discuss should someone ask him about his ‘Quirk’.

Liana, however, didn’t seem convinced. Instead, she raised her eyebrow in curiosity. “‘Power’? So you’re saying that you don’t have Quirk.”

Izuku blanched. He was shocked that she was able to figure it out so easily.

“You’re not trying to deny it,” she continued. “That means I’m right.”

Ddraig chuckled in amusement. [I like her.]

“U-U-Uh, w-w-w-we-well, it’s, uh…” Izuku had no idea what to say or do.

“Izuku-kun?”

Izuku's head snapped to Kiba Yuuto. _‘Oh, thank G- uh, Satan?’_ “Yuuto-san, hey,” Izuku greeted

“Is there something you wanted from Izuku-kun?” Yuuto asked Liana.

Liana shook her head. “No. I got what I needed.” At that, Liana turned to leave. “I’ll let you know when I can teach you later.”

Izuku and Yuuto watched as Liana turned the corner. “What was that about?” Yuuto asked.

Izuku sighed.

 

* * *

 

“She knows?” Yuuto asked as he and Izuku stood in line in the cafeteria.

Izuku nodded. “She saw right through me.”

Yuuto put a hand to his chin I thought. “So that’s two of your classmates who know now. I doubt it’ll cause too much trouble, especially since they only know about you, but we’ll need to be more careful from now on.”

“Yeah.”

Once they got their food, the two male devils were about to make their way to the table they and their friends normally eat, when Izuku noticed that Ibara was sitting nearby.

“Ibara-san? Why’s she there?”

As Yuuto went on ahead, Izuku made his way towards Ibara. She seemed to be talking with someone. It was a slender, brown-haired girl wearing pink glasses. Her hair was done in pigtails on both sides of her head and bangs that covered most of her forehead, gold eyes, and thigh-high black socks.

Izuku froze in place and paled, recognizing her right away. It was Kiryuu Aika. _‘Oh, no.’_

The glasses-wearing girl noticed him. “Oh, look Shiozaki-chan. Your boyfriend is here.”

Ibara and Izuku both began to blush “B-B-B-B-B-Boyfriend!?” Ibara stuttered.

“Huh?” Kiryuu adjusted her glasses. “Am I wrong? It’s just that you two are always together, so I thought-”

“Out of the way, shitty Deku!” Izuku nearly jumped as Bakugo, tray in hand, walked by. “Why the fuck are you-” he stopped mid-sentence when he saw who else was here.

“Oh, hey there, Explosion Boy,” Kiryuu greeted, waving her hand.

Bakugo stood there for a moment, eyes wide in disbelief before he yelled. “WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU HERE, HENTAI GLASSES?!”

A lot of the students in the cafeteria turned toward them at Bakugo’s outburst. “If you must know,” Kiryuu cleaned her ear with a bored expression. “I’m in the Business Course. Not everyone here at U.A. wants to be a hero, Explosion Bo- Huh? Where’d he go?” Bakugo had disappeared.

 _‘Maybe I should follow Bakugo’s example?’_ Izuku thought to himself.

“By the way, what’d you think of the book I gave you, Ibara-chan?”

_‘Book?’_

“It was… informative…” Ibara was blushing, having hesitated to answer.

“C’mon! The ‘101 Saucy Ways To Get The Boy You Want’ had to have helped in some way!”

“The what…?” Suddenly, Izuku remembered the ‘nude encounter’ he had with Ibara before the Rating Game with Riser. _“I’ve read that… Nude encounters like this can help people get closer. So… Do you want to have a nude encounter with me?”_

 _‘It was Kiryuu’s fault!’_ He realized. _‘I should’ve known…’_ Clearing his throat (and his thoughts) Izuku said, “C-C’mon, Ibara-san. The others are waiting.”

“R-Right. It was good talking to you, Aika-san,” Ibara polity bowed as she took her tray.

“Likewise,” Kiryuu replied. “Have fun love birds~!” Izuku and Ibara, both red and their heads steaming, left to join their friends. Kiryuu chuckled at their embarrassment when she noticed two students nearby. They were happily writing in notebooks, looks of perversion on their faces. “What are you doing?”

“Taking notes,” they both answered.

“We’re trying to figure out how to get a harem by recording everything Midoriya does,” the shorter one said, a bit of drool dripping from his mouth.

“Wait, Mineta! All you did was write the girl’s three sizes!”

“You have to take all factors into account, Kaminari!”

Before Kaminari could reply, Kiryuu took the notebook from Mineta’s hand and looked it over. “Wow, these are pretty accurate. You even got my three sizes right,” she said.

“I don’t mean to brag but… I spent years learning how to determine a woman’s three sizes just from looking,” Mineta bragged, a rather smug look on his face.

“Do you have any standards?” Kaminari asked.

“That is impressive,” Kiryuu grinned, her glasses reflecting light, “But you’re not the only one who can do that.”

“What?!” Mineta and Kaminari exclaimed when they noticed that the strange girl was now looking at Mineta… specifically his crotch.

Normally, Mineta would’ve been thrilled about a girl looking there, but here he felt both terrified and a tad uncomfortable about her doing so. “Ah, I see.” She finally said, “That’s… not impressive. Easily the bottom of the list. Compensating for something, are you?” Mineta suddenly found himself in a pit of despair, his soul trying to escape his mouth as his head sagged comically.

Kaminari blanched in shock. “That’s… scary…”

“I know your size, too. And I like it,” Kaminari immediately covered his crotch out of embarrassment. “In fact, I know the sizes of all eleven of 1-A’s boys, as well as the other first-year heroics male students, and you’re in the top 10.”

Kaminari didn’t know if he should feel embarrassed or proud by Kiryuu’s words. Then what she said caught his attention. “Wait… eleven? I think you might’ve miscounted.”

“You don’t know?” Kiryuu asked. “Well, I guess you’ll find out eventually.”

 

* * *

 

“What kept you guys?” Kyoka asked. She was sitting in-between Momo and Ochako.

“I was talking with a friend from middle school,” Ibara answered.

“I heard that you were voted Class Representative,” Rias said as Izuku ad Ibara sat down. “I’m so proud of you, Izu-kun!”

“It’s kinda weird, though. I was voted as Class Representative earlier too,” said Itsuka.

“Congratulations, Midoriya-san,” said Milia.

“U-Uh, thanks,” Izuku stuttered. “But I’m not sure I’m cut out for it…”

“Don’t say that,” Rias put her arm around him, causing the boy to blush. “We both know you can do it. I believe in you.” As Rias said that, she couldn’t help but smirk at the jealous looks from Ochako, Ibara, Itsuka, Ibara, and Milia.

“Rias-senpai-kun is correct,” Iida said. “Your courage and quick thinking under stress will help make you a worthy leader. Not to mention the strength you’ve demonstrated. Those are the reasons I voted for you, at least.”

“You were one of the five?” Izuku asked.

“I voted for you, too,” Ochako said.

“As did I.”

“Same here.”

Izuku turned around, seeing both Tsubasa and Hyde standing behind them. “Where’d you guys come from? And… did you really vote for me?”

“Yep. I couldn’t just leave my buddy hanging,” Hyde smiled. “Even though I ended up as the MVP, it was your plan.”

Izuku nodded before he looked to Tsubasa. “And what about you?”

Tsubasa shrugged. “Honestly, I figured you would be the best qualified for it, Green.”

“…Green?” Izuku blinked.

“So who did you vote for, Izuku-san?” Ibara asked.

“O-Oh, I voted for Momo-san, actually,” Izuku admitted.

“Wait, then who was the fifth vote?” Hyde asked.

“It was me!” Everyone turned to see Mina, smiling in excitement.

“You did, Ashido-san?” Izuku asked.

Mina nodded. “Yep! You guys saw me jumping all excited, wanting people to vote for me. But I decided to vote for you, Midori. A cute boy like you deserves the position. By the way, is it okay if I call you Midori?” Mina asked, smiling at him.

“U-Uh… s-sure. I-It’s okay. I’m fine with it, Ashido-san,” a nervous Izuku said.

“Great!” Mina smiled at his reaction when she decided to glomp him. “Call me Mina!”

“A-A-A-A-A…” Izuku stuttered, his face burning red.

Mina chuckled at Izuku’s embarrassment when Rias suddenly pulled Izuku away from her. She, along with Ochako, Ibara, Milia, and even Itsuka and Tsubasa were all giving Mina jealous glares. Mina smiled at them, accepting it as a challenge. _‘This’ll be fun.’_

Hyde nervously looked at each of the girls, thinking that they’ll be seeing blood at any moment.

“A ladies man?” Yui said, sitting next to Itsuka.

“I-I’m not a…wait, who are you?” Izuku asked.

“Oh, right. You haven’t been introduced yet,” Itsuka stopped glaring at Mina for a minute as she gestured at Yui. “This is our classmate, Kodai Yui.”

“Hello.” Yui greeted flatly, taking a bite of rice.

 _‘She kinda reminds me of Koneko,’_ Izuku thought.

“Anyway, didn’t you want to be class president, Iida-san?” Ochako asked, having decided to veer the subject away from Izuku, “You even have the glasses and everything!”

 _‘That’s not the point,’_ all of them thought.

“Wanting a position and being suitable for it are two very different things,” Iida replied. “Observing my family’s agency has taught me that much.”

“Agency?” The others asked.

“Wait, what does you’re family do?” Izuku asked.

“Oh, uh… it’s nothing.”

“Just tell us. It’s not like we’re not gonna snitch or anything.” Kyoka pointed out.

“Come on, Iida. Tell us everything.” Mina demanded.

“We won’t treat you any different,” said Hyde.

At all the curious stares he was receiving, Iida sighed. “I don’t like it when it’s bought up… But if I must talk about such things… You see, I’m from a family that’s been in heroics for generations.”

“What?! That’s awesome!” Izuku, Ochako, Mina, and Hyde all exclaimed.

“Do any of you know of the Turbo Hero: Ingenium?” Iida asked.

“I know all about him!” Izuku’s eyes lit up, “He's a super-popular hero whose Tokyo office has hired as many as sixty-five sidekicks! Wait, you don’t mean…”

“He’s my elder brother,” Iida answered.

“Holy crap! For real!” Kyoka said.

“Your family’s famous!” Ochako exclaimed.

“That’s amazing!” Said Yuuto.

“No freakin’ way!” Hyde exclaimed.

“I can’t believe it!” Izuku said.

“Ingenium has a brother?” Yui asked.

“Indeed!” Iida beamed with pride. “He leads the people with his unwavering adherence to rules and regulations. A truly beloved hero! It’s my admiration for my brother that has inspired my own desire to become a hero. That said, I have recently realized that I’m not truly ready to be a leader like him yet. Midoriya-kun, for example, realized the point of the practical portion of the Entrance Exam, unlike me. So he’s more suitable for the job than I am. As such, I aspire to follow his example as a Hero.” Iida finished with a confident smile.

Izuku smiled in admiration at Iida. The way Iida respects his older brother, Ingenium, reminded Izuku of how Rias respects her brother Sirzechs. Sure, he only met Sirzechs once briefly, and Rias was clearly annoyed by his antics, but the respect was there.

“That’s crazy! I’m mad at myself for not realizing sooner,” said Hyde.

“Was it that obvious?” Iida asked.

“W-Well, I kinda had a feeling,” Izuku admitted. “Iida-kun’s name was a big clue, and his Quirk is a lot like Ingenium’s. And the way his costume was designed resembled Ingenium’s Mark 1 costume.”

“Y-You’re quite knowledgeable…” Iida stared at Izuku bewilderingly.

“Hero otaku,” Yui ate her sandwich blankly.

“You have no idea,” Rias giggled. “You should see his room. It’s full of nothing but-”

“ANYWAY, what do you think we’ll be doing today?” Izuku cut her off, desperately trying to change the subject.

Before anyone could answer him, however…

_*_ **_VREEEEEEE!_ ** _*_

“Oww goddamn it!” Kyoka exclaimed, covering her ears. “What’s going on?”

“ ** _Warning! Level 3 Security Breach. All students, please evacuate the building in an orderly fashion._** ”

“What’s a Level 3 Security Breach?” Momo asked.

“It means someone infiltrated onto school grounds!” yelled an upperclassman, “In my three years here, this has never happened before! We have to get out of here!”

All of the students began to head for the exit. But soon everything quickly become chaotic. A sea of students had formed due to everyone panicking, with Izuku and the others being sandwiched in.

“Hey, quit shoving!” Hyde barked.

“I can’t breath!” Milia wheezed.

“W-W-What is this all of sudden!?” Ochaco cried out as her side got hit by an elbow.

“As expected of U.A. students, they are quick to react in a crisis,” Iida grunted.

“I don't think it’s that, it’s more like they’re panicking,” stated Itsuka as she enlarged her hands slightly to protect herself.

“Izu-kun, where are you?” Rias called out worryingly.

“I’m ove-!” Izuku tried to call out, but some students pushed him further away. He somehow found himself in between Yui and Tsubasa, his hands and face pressing against the window. “K-K-Kodai-san! Y-Yura-san!” He cried out when the two were shoved into him. He could feel Yui’s soft chest pressed into his while Tsubasa’s pressed against his back.

Izuku’s face burned red. “S-S-S-S-S-Sorry!” He cried out, trying his best to not lose his head over the close contact with them.

“It’s okay,” Yui replied, “It’s not your fault.” If Izuku was not freaking out, he would notice that the quiet girl still had the same blank expression the whole time and wonder how the hell can she be calm in the middle of a crisis.

Tsubasa, meanwhile, actually liked how close she was with Izuku. It reminded her of a hug pillow, in a way. An elbow shoving into her back quickly reminded her that she didn’t have time to fantasize about him, though. As she was being pressed against the window, Tsubasa caught sight of what probably caused the alarm.

It was the press. The same group from this morning had somehow made their way onto U.A. grounds, being blocked by Aizawa and Present Mic. “The press! That’s what this is about?!” Tsubasa exclaimed.

Izuku, upon hearing her, peeked outside. “Then there’s no reason for everyone to be panicking.” He muttered. Everyone was still pushing harder and harder. If they didn’t stop soon, someone was going to get hurt. _‘I have to do something! I have to let everyone know that everything is okay.’_ Izuku thought to himself. His eyes darted around the hallway, try to find someplace where everyone could see him. His eyes soon landed above the exit sign.

 _‘I just need to get up there,’_ with a grunt, Izuku unfurled his wings. Unfortunately, they happened to smack into Yui and Tsubasa. “S-Sorry!”

“It’s okay,” Yui replied, the same blank expression on her face.

“Warn us next time, though,” said Tsubasa. “What are you up to?”

Izuku pointed toward the exit sign. “I need to get up there.”

Tsubasa looked to where he was pointing and nodded. “Let me!”

“H-Hey, what are-?” Izuku wasn’t given time to ask as, using her Rook strength, Tsubasa lifted Izuku up and tossed him into the air. Izuku wailed a bot before he slammed into the wall above the exit sign, leaving an indent in the wall.

[That looked painful.]

Izuku ignored Ddraig’s comment. He turned around and looked at the still panicking students. _‘Okay, here goes nothing…’_ Izuku thought nervously. He took a deep breath and… “EVERYONE! Calm down! It’s just the media and press! There is nothing to worry about. The teachers got the situation under control. There is nothing to fear! This is U.A. for crying out loud. Act with some sense and calm down!”

Every student quieted down and sighed in relief. Some of the students were now looking out the window to see what he and Tsubasa saw.

As police sirens approached, Izuku knew that soon the journalists would be forced to leave, and as he looked at his friends, he noticed all of them were smiling at him, happy about how he stepped up and did what he needed to do to get the situation under control.

A few moments later, the student council, led by Sona Sitri, was in the hallway, calling for all the students to return to their classrooms. “This was a false alarm. Several reporters got past the barrier. Please return to your classrooms now.”

 

* * *

 

A few minutes later, Mizu, Midnight, and Principle Nezu were standing by the front gate. Not only had the barrier been destroyed, but it also looked like it had been completely disintegrated. “This was no news reporter,” said Midnight. “Who or what could’ve done this?”

“Did any of the media capture this on film?” Mizu asked.

“Detective Tsukauchi is already interviewing those involved,” Nezu answered. “He hasn’t found anything yet. What I’m more concerned with is why someone would do this. No students were hurt. And as far as we can tell, nothing in the school was taken.”

“Should we cancel the first-years USJ trips, then?” Midnight asked.

“Why not combine them, sir?” Mizu suggested. “Should something happen, putting two of our most versatile fighters together, along with Thirteen and All Might, may be more than enough to defend the students.”

“Hmm, yes, I like that idea,” Nezu nodded. “It would also be a good opportunity for the students to network past their own classes before they develop cliques. All Might did wish to host large-scale Battle Trials between both classes, so this can act as a predecessor.”

 

* * *

 

After what happened during lunch, despite the anxiety among the students, classes resumed like normal. In 1-A, everyone waited to see if their heroics classes were canceled. As this was 1-A’s free period, they would have to wait until either Aizawa or whoever was their heroics teacher today to show up.

As such, Izuku took this moment to head over to the middle school to check up on Koneko and Ravel. They and the other middle schoolers had heard of the commotion at the high school, but as far as they could tell nothing odd happened at their middle school. Well, except for maybe the argument Ravel and Koneko were having. Izuku wisely decided to leave before they could drag him into it. By the time he made it back to the high school, a few minutes were left before their free period was over. Not wanting to get choked by Aizawa’s scarf, Izuku hurried along the halls.

As he walked through the halls, Izuku felt something brush up against his foot. Quickly glancing down he saw that a disembodied foot was slowly tapping against his. He nearly screamed before he looked around the hall. He then spotted the foot’s owner, given that she was missing her foot. It was a girl, likely the same year as him.

She was looking right back at him, grinning. She looked like a hungry animal staring down its next meal. His mind raced as it tried to figure out a possible reason for all this. “Sorry about that,” she said as the foot returned to its rightful place. “I wanted to talk to you for a sec.” She then lifted up a handless arm in his direction.

Before he could ask, Izuku felt something pull his hair. The girl giggled. “You’ve got curly green hair! Just like me!”

Izuku, realizing that her hand was what was tugging his hair, shyly looked away. “Uhhhh, y-yeah, I guess I do,” he laughed nervously, a light blush on his face. “Is there something I can do for you?”

The girl smiled as her hand reattached to her wrist. “Name’s Tokage Setsuna. I’m in Class 1-B, and I’ve heard a lot about you, Midoriya.” Izuku blushed, the thought that Ibara and/or Milia were talking about him to their classmates being unexpected. And embarrassing. “I saw what you did during lunch. That was really cool. And I heard you have a really cool Quirk, too. Something like Ryukyu’s. Can I see it?”

“Uh, y-yeah. My p-power is similar to Ryukyu’s. It’s called Dragon Force.” Izuku proceeded to demonstrate, Setsuna watching closely as his hand transformed, his skin turning jagged and sharp, and his wings unfurling. “Basically I grow green or red scales and wings, which gives me better defense, strength and of course flight…” To Izuku’s surprise, the sight of his wings and scales caused Setsuna to start blushing.

“Cooool. You’re just like a dinosaur.” Setsuna looked at him with big eyes and a cute smile, making him look away.

“I, uh… guess I kinda am… ah-hem, we should probably head back to our classes before the period ends. We don’t want to get in tro-”

“Oh, c’mon, we still got some time to hang out and talk,” Setsuna suggested. She came in closer to Izuku, leaning forward with a mischievous yet gentle smile. But her eyes looked predatory for a split second before the recommended student fluttered them seductively.

Izuku broke out in a nervous sweat, recognizing the look in Setsuna’s eyes. It was the same kind of look Rias, Ochako, and Ibara occasionally had when they wanted to get ‘closer’ to him. “I, uh-”

“Soooo, until the bell rings, we have time to get to know each other better.” She put her hand on the wall and pushed her chest into Izuku’s, pressing her soft bosom against him. “Don’t you want to be close friends?”

 _‘SHE’S SO CLOSE TO ME!’_ Izuku screamed internally.

[You should’ve gotten used to this by now, brat.]

Izuku ignored Ddraig’s comment. “T-Tokage-san, wait! Slow down a little!”

“You can call me Setsuna.”

“A-are you sure? W-we only j-just met.”

“Of course. You’re gonna be my dinosaur boyfriend, so get used to it.”

“W-wait, WHAT-”

“What exactly is going on here?”

The pair instantly froze at the sound of an unamused voiced before the 1-B student could go any further. Setsuna quickly let go of Izuku as they both turned around towards Rias who was standing not far from them with a hand on her hip, a dark aura surrounding her and an unpleasant expression on her face. Izuku felt heat rising and cold sweat falling from his face, realizing what the situation looked like. Setsuna didn’t seem all too bothered, having an amused and mischievous smile on her face instead.

“B-Buchou! How long have you been there?!” Izuku asked.

“I was looking for you to tell you that, after what happened with the media today, all club meetings are canceled. And here I find you about to have a fling with this girl. Isn’t that lovely?” Rias said.

“W-Wait! W-W-We w-weren’t g-gonna have a f-f-f-f-fling or anything like that! H-Honest!” Izuku shouted, breaking away from Setsuna.

“He’s right,” Setsuna stated, still smiling. “I just wanted to see why Ibara, Itsuka, and Milia like him is all.”

“Forget it. Do as you please!” Rias huffed, turning tail and walking away.

“Ah! Buchou! Wait!” Izuku quickly ran after her in a desperate attempt to explain.

Setsuna simply continued to watch with an amused smile. “They’re both really cute, Gremory-senpai especially when she’s jealous,” she noted. “I wouldn’t mind sharing him with them.”

 

* * *

 

After a futile attempt to explain to Rias, Izuku made his way back to 1-A. ‘Dinosaur boyfriend’ and Rias’ unamused expression were still fresh in his mind as he took his seat. He honestly didn’t know how to process it all. Suddenly he remembered what else Setsuna said. _“I just wanted to see why Ibara, Itsuka, and Milia like him is all.”_

He already had a feeling that Ibara liked him, but Milia and Itsuka too? But now that he thought back, there were times where Milia seemed… upset whenever he hung out with another girl, especially Rias and Ibara. As for Itsuka, he had no clue why. _‘Oh, fate why do you hate me so?’_ He internally wailed. Rias, Ochako, Ibara, Milia, Itsuka, and now Setsuna. Who’s next?!

“Hey, Midoriya-kun!”

Izuku was snapped out of his thoughts by a pair of floating clothes in front of him. “H-Hagakure-san, what is it?” He stuttered.

“I wanted to thank you,” she told him. “When everyone started panicking, I nearly got trampled over by them.” Izuku’s eyes widened in shock, realizing how easy it would’ve been for someone to not see her trip during all that.

“Are you okay?”

Toru (probably) nodded. “Yep! After you calmed everyone down, I went straight to Recovery Girl and she fixed me right up. If you hadn’t stopped everyone when you did, I would’ve been in big trouble.”

Izuku flushed a bit, sporting a nervous smile. “Uh, i-it wasn’t t-that big of a d-deal. I-I mean, I’m sure anyone would have-”

“Chu!”

Izuku stopped when he felt a soft pair of lips on his cheek. It lasted only for a second, but already his brain was going haywire, his face turning as red as Rias’ hair.

Toru giggled as she began to skip away. “Thanks for being my hero!”

“Wha…” was all Izuku could mutter.

Around him, his classmates had various reactions. Some, like Iida and Kirishima, were stunned by the sudden kiss. Others, like Ochako and Tsubasa, silently glared at the invisible girl. A couple, like Tsuyu, didn’t seem to give it much thought. Two of them, Kaminari and Mineta, were briefly envious of Izuku before they furiously wrote something in their notebooks. And one, Bakugo, could only stare in disbelief. _‘WHAT THE FUCK!? Since when did Deku become a chick magnet?!’_

Izuku silently stared off into space, rubbing the spot where Toru kissed him just a moment ago. Rias and the other girls were not going to like this, he could already tell. Maybe he should ask Ddraig for advice…

[No way! I’m staying far away from that beehive.]

…There goes that idea.

As Izuku tried to think of a solution to his ever-growing girl problems, a teacher walked into the classroom, though it wasn’t Aizawa like some expected. Ochako smiled as Mizu walked into the room.

“Good afternoon, everyone. I’m Mizushima Akari, but call me either Mizu or Ryūtō. Now, before any of you ask, not all afternoon classes were canceled after the stunt the media did earlier. So, everyone get your gym uniforms and meet me outside.”

“Excuse me, Ryūtō-sensei!” Iida shot up, raising his hand high. “But what shall we be doing?”

Mizu gave him a coy smile. “You’ll see…”

 

* * *

 

Class 1-A had gathered outside, in the same field where they had to do Aizawa’s assessment test. Mizu stood in front. “Looks like everyone’s here. Good, then let’s get started, people,” she said. “Today’s class will cover a simple and basic but very important part, of your training: sparring.”

Class 1-A collectively sweat-dropped. _‘That was anti-climatic.’_

“Excuse me, sensei!” Iida raised his hand. “But how is this any different from the combat training we received from All Might?”

“Because, unlike with All Might, you won’t be using your Quirks,” she explained. “Having a flashy Quirk is great and all, but there will be times you can’t use it effectively if you could use it at all. Let’s use Ashido-chan as an example.”

“Who? Me?”

Mizu nodded. “Say you were facing a hostage situation. A villain has them either on their person or in the same room. Your Quirk can be extremely dangerous, so you won’t be able to use it very well or you’ll risk injuring the hostage. And that’s assuming the villain doesn’t have a Quirk that can counter yours, like say being made of plastic or glass, or even able to produce strong bases.” Mina nodded, seeing Mizu’s point.

“That’s why this kind of training is important,” the sorcerer continued. “This is especially important for those of you who have non-combat Quirks, like Hagakure-chan or Shoji. Now then,” she pulled out a box from somewhere. “Everyone come up and take a number.”

Once everyone drew a number, the results were placed on a holographic board.

Match 1: Mineta Minoru vs Bakugo Katsuki

Match 2: Ashido Mina vs Yura Tsubasa

Match 3: Shoji Mezo vs Iida Tenya

Match 4: Liana Kozuki vs Tokoyami Fumikage

Match 5: Uraraka Ochako vs Kaminari Denki

Match 6: Kirishima Eijiro vs Hagakure Toru

Match 7: Sero Hanta vs Asui Tsuyu

Match 8: Aoyama Yuga vs Yaoyorozu Momo

Match 9: Jiro Kyoka vs Kido Hyde

Match 10: Midoriya Izuku vs Todoroki Shoto

Mineta began to cry, realizing who he was facing. “I’m dead.”

“Alright, Mineta, Bakugo, step into the ring.” The two teens did as they were told, one confidently taking one end while the other shakily took the other. “Alright, you two boys ready?” Mizu asked.

Bakugo grinned a confident smile, his gaze on Mineta. The short perv gulped loudly. He knew he wasn’t going to win, even if he was sparring against someone far below Bakugo’s level, like Toru. But he got into U.A. He _was_ going to get popular with girls. He _WILL_ learn Izuku’s secrets to building a harem! He wasn’t going to give up without a fight!

“I’m re-”

“Start!”

“-dy?” Mineta trailed off at Bakugo was already on top of him.

“DIE!”

Bakugo kicked Mineta right where it hurts so hard, the little perv slammed face-first into an adjacent wall. All of the males in the class (except for Bakugo) and a couple of girls all winced at seeing Mineta’s pain.

“Well, that was fast,” Mizu quipped. “Bakugo wins. Someone get Mineta to Recovery Girl. In the meantime, Ashido-chan, Yura-chan, you’re up!”

 

* * *

 

“No sign of them,” Monoma said as he closed the door. He and his partner, Tsuburaba, had searched nearly every floor of the building they were in. It was 1-B’s turn for combat training, and he and Tsubasa were the hero team of the second match, pitted against Ibara and Milia as the villains. So far, they’ve wasted plenty of time just _looking_ for the villains and their weapon.

“They gotta be on this floor,” said Tsuburaba. “This is the only floor left-”

“…Tsuburaba?” Monoma turned around, only to gasp in shock to see that his teammate was gone. “W-Wha!? Where did-?”

Movement in the corner of his eye was all the warning Monoma would get. Milia charged forward, claws already extended. Inhaling as deep as he could, Monoma breathed out a barrier in between him and the charging devil. It wasn’t strong enough to withstand Milia’s attack, though, as she easily cut through it.

Monoma squeaked in fright as all ten of Milia’s claws pinned him to the wall, Ibara’s vines closed in.

“Sorry, Monoma,” Milia said as Ibara’s vines wrapped around the boy. “But this is your loss.”

_[“_ **_Both heroes have been captured. The villain team… WINS!_ ** _”]_

 

* * *

 

“Alright, almost done!” Mizu clapped her hands together as Hyde and Kyoka stepped into the ring.

As Kyoka stretched a bit, Hyde said, “Sorry, I normally don’t like the idea of fighting a girl, but I won’t go easy.”

“Same to you,” Kyoka replied.

“Ready?” Mizu asked. Both replied with a nod. “Fight!”

Hyde immediately charged toward her, intent on just pushing her out of the ring. But Kyoka stood firm, planting her feet on the ground, elbows bent and her fists clenched in front of her face. Before Hyde realized what that stance was, Kyoka’s right fist crashed into the bottom of his jaw. Hyde nearly but his young as he staggered back. “Agh! Damnit!”

“Boxing?” Tsubasa said in pleasant surprise.

“Oh man, that _had_ to hurt,” Sero winced.

“She took a couple of lessons,” Momo smiled.

“Oh, that’s smart!” Izuku said. “Since her support items are on her legs, if an opponent were to get close she would need to defend herself without relying on them. That way…” Mumble, mumble, mumble.

“Aaaand, he’s gone,” Ochako chuckled.

“Ow…” Hyde groaned as he rubbed his jaw. _‘I should know better by now to not underestimate little girls… I better make sure she won’t hear that…’_ Kyoka smiled confidently at him. _‘Okay, let’s try that again.’_

Hyde charged again, making sure not to be blindsided by a punch this time… Only for Kyoka to trip him.

Mizu sweat-dropped as she watched Hyde fall face first. _‘Great at swordplay, not so much with hand to hand. Kido’s going to need a LOT of work…’_ “Okay, that’s enough. I got what I needed,” Kyoka and Hyde exited the ring, the latter trying to stop a bloody nose. “Midoriya, Todoroki-chan, you’re up.”

“Huh?” Izuku blinked, having snapped out of his mumble spire when Mizu called for him. Seeing that Todoroki was already heading for one end of the ring, Izuku hurried along to the other.

Once Izuku and Todoroki stood across from each other in the ring, Mizu called out. “Ready? Fight!”

Izuku quickly closed the distance between them. Todoroki raised his arms in an attempt to block whatever attack Izuku would do. Izuku, however, dropped down to the ground and, in a breakdance-like move, spun and kicked Todoroki's feet out from underneath him.

Before the duel-toned teen could fall to the ground, Izuku got back up, grabbed Todoroki’s hand, and then threw him out of the ring.

“Whoa! Nice moves, Midori!” Mina cheered along with everyone else.

“One of the best performances yet,” said Mizu as she clapped. “That’s it for today. Take what you saw here today and use that to improve. Whether you won or not doesn’t matter, what does is what you learned from them.”

At that, the class began to head back to their homeroom. Izuku was about to join them when he noticed that Todoroki hadn’t gotten up yet. “You okay, Todoroki-kun?” He asked.

“I’m fine,” he replied. “I’ll catch up.”

Izuku nodded before leaving. As the green-haired devil left, Todoroki looked at his left hand. For a brief moment, when Izuku knocked him down, he felt heat coming from it. _‘I nearly broke my vow, again. I was right… He is someone to look out for.’_ He clenched his hand, determined not to lose to him again. So then, why did his chest feel so warm?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I guess I was lying when I said that this chapter would mostly be about 1-A doing sparing and 1-B doing the battle trials. Everything else kinda took more space then I expected.
> 
> And yep, Ravel transferred schools months earlier than she did in canon. Wonder how that will affect the plot? And yes, Aika is here at U.A. and a Business Course student (and was the one who indirectly planted the idea of nude encounters in Ibara’s head). I get the feeling that she and Mineta would quickly become Sitcom Archenemies.
> 
> Obviously Setsuna would be interested in Izuku here since he really is part dragon, which scientists suggest were partly based on dinosaur bones. The scene with Izuku and Setsuna was inspired by fanart doe by SuperPartyCat on deviantART, (https://www.deviantart.com/superpartycat/art/Izuku-x-Setsuna-Tokage-773867262).
> 
> And what’s this? Liana seems to have caught on that Izuku doesn’t have a Quirk. She’s one smart cookie, though that’s not surprising considering who her dad is, which some of you have figured out. I won’t say who, though. Not yet.
> 
> Anyway, that’s it for now. See you next year. PLUS ULTRA!


	23. Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year, everyone! I hope you plan to stay true to your new year's resolutions. And sorry that this chapter was a little late, I was busy playing Persona 5 for the first time (in preparation for Persona 5 Royal), Star Wars: Fallen Order, Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield (got them for Christmas, and man are they addicting).
> 
> Anyway, Joe021 on AO3 asked a rather interesting question: Who would be the VAs of my OCs (both Japanese and English). So I decided to give a little list here.
> 
> Milia Takamaki: Misato Fukuen (Japanese), Cristina Vee (English)  
> Mizushima “Mizu” Akari | Ryūtō: Sayaka Ohara (Japanese), Erica Lindbeck (English)  
> Liana Kozuki: Junko Minagawa (Japanese), Cherami Leigh (English)
> 
> If I ever decided to do character pages, I’ll give more details then.

The walk back to the Midoriya apartment was quiet. Rias hadn’t spoken at all during the entire train ride there. Izuku was worried that she was still mad at him about Setsuna, even though he couldn’t understand how that was his fault. They had just left the station a few minutes ago when Rias suddenly stopped. “Hey, Izu-kun?”

“Uh, yeah?”

Rias turned toward him, an apologetic look on her face. “…I’m sorry about earlier. Thinking back now, you’re not the type to do something like that.”

Izuku smiled as he nodded. “I-It’s okay.”

Ochako and Ibara looked between the two quizzically. “What’s this about?” Ibara asked.

“O-Oh! It was nothing!” Izuku denied, blushing as the memory of how close Setsuna was to him came back.

“I found him being on the receiving end of a girl's affections,” Rias answered. Izuku lost all color as Ibara and Ochako’s eyes widened in shock.

“What?! Who?” The two girls demanded.

“…T-Tokage-san…” Izuku admitted.

Ibara gasped. “Setsuna-san?”

“You know her?” Rias asked.

Ibara nodded. “She’s in my class.”

“Y-Yeah, she d-did mention you.” _‘Along with Takamaki and Kendo.’_ Izuku mentally added.

“Unbelievable,” Ochako huffed. “And here I thought that kiss you got earlier was the worst of it.”

“Kiss? What kiss?” Rias demanded.

“Well, before we started our heroics class, Hagakure-san kissed Izu-kun on the cheek as thanks for what he did during lunch.” Izuku’s eyes widened when Ochako said that.

“…Is that right?” Rias silently glared at Izuku, as did Ibara and Ochako.

_‘Oh crap…’_

[It was nice knowing you, brat.]

_‘Ddraig! Help!’_

When the dragon didn’t response, Izuku began to pale. He needed to get out of this. Fast! “U-Uh, I-I’m s-s-sorry i-if you’re o-offended. I-Is t-there a-anything I c-can d-d-do t-to m-m-make it up to y-you?”

Rias let her gaze soften. “Actually, yes,” Izuku breathed a sigh of relief. “There’s something I want to get.”

“R-Really? What?” Izuku asked.

Rias just snickered and smiled as she pressed her fingers over her lips, “You’ll see. As for where we’re going…” Rias’ smile widened. “Well, you’ll just have to pick me up tomorrow after school to find out.”

“Uh… sure!” Izuku nodded quickly before he blinked. “W-Wait, when you say ‘pick me up’, you mean like… a d-d-date?”

“Not like a date,” Rias said, her smile widening, “A _date_.”

Izuku audibly gulped, blushing brightly. Ibara and Ochako watch with jealous glares. Ochako then whispered something in Ibara’s ear, who nodded. Izuku dreaded what they were planning.

 

* * *

 

“Ow, damnit…” A certain Kido Hyde groaned as he walked home. The apartment where he lived at was within walking distance from U.A., so he wasn’t in any rush like everyone else to get home. That, and he enjoyed the walk. It gave him time to think.

Usually.

“Jiro is a lot tougher than she looks. I should’ve known better, considering some of the people I know.”

“Indeed.”

Hyde stopped, sighed, and then leaned against a tree. “How long have you been there?”

“Long enough,” the voice said. “That was an embarrassment, losing in such a way in the sorcerer’s class.”

“Nobody asked you,” Hyde deadpanned. “Find any new info on our ‘employer’?”

A shadow moved within the tree’s branches. To anyone else, they would assume it was a bird or some other animal. In reality, it was a human, around the same age as Hyde, maybe a little younger. “No. I have been unable to determine his identity, or why he wants us to work together like this.”

“Nothing? I thought you were an assassin, Seth.”

“I am. If I so wanted to, I could just simply cut both you and your entire class down without anyone knowing… But this is a delicate situation. We both wish to save the Princess of the Night Blade from her fate, but if what he says is true…”

“It’s a chance we gotta take,” Hyde looked up at the sky, the orange hue it had reminding him when this all started for him. “Still, I don’t trust this guy. Not one bit.”

“Neither do I,” said Seth. “I will continue to investigate him. In the meantime, you focus on getting stronger.”

“Already planned on that,” Hyde retorted. “By the way, did you see who was responsible for destroying the gate earlier?”

“No,” Seth answered. “Whoever it was hid among the reporters, and then stepped away before I could arrive.”

Hyde sighed. “It was with a shot,” he continued on his way.

Seth watched from the tree before he disappeared into the shadows. It had occurred to him that, true to his threat, he could easily kill Hyde and take the Insulator. Yet, if this man truly had a way to break the curse without killing her, then he should see it through… for now.

 

* * *

 

Izuku paced around in his room, his anxiety for his _date_ with Rias tomorrow starting to overwhelm him. It had been the only thing on his mind since they got home. It was like with Raynare all over again, only this time he knew he wasn’t going to die… at least not at Rias’ hand.

[Calm down!] Ddraig demanded. [If you keep this up, you’ll have a heart attack.]

“Ddraig, what do I do?!” Izuku demanded. “I mean, this will be the second official date I’ve ever been on. Wait, does that date with Raynare even count? She did kill me. Oh, god! What if she- AGH!” Izuku hunched over as pain hit his head.

Ddraig let out a deep sigh. [Calm down. Just… be you. Anyway, get some sleep. You’ll need it.]

Izuku still wanted to ask him more questions, but complied and went to bed. Thoughts of what Rias had planned flooded his mind, from the innocent to the… not so subtle. Blushing bright red at his own thoughts, Izuku slipped into unconsciousness. Had he stayed awake a moment more, he would’ve heard the sound of his door opening, and three figures, cloaked in shadow, approaching his bed. Unnoticed, the intruders slipped into his bed, wrapping their arms around the sleeping teen.

 

* * *

 

 _“A tiger has been spotted in the residential districts of Yokohama. Eyewitnesses claim it gave off an ethereal blue glow and moved as fast as lightning. Authorities have already dispatched both police and heroes to search for the tiger, but currently, there are no leads on where the tiger is or where it came from.”_ Inko hummed softly to herself, listening to the news as she prepared breakfast.

She had gotten up earlier than normal and, noticing that Izuku and the girls were still asleep, decided to get started on breakfast before they head out for the day. _“And now for today’s top story: yet another disappearance has been reported in Kanzakai. Seven people have now vanished within the quiet town without a trace. Local police and heroes are under pressure to determine who or what is responsible.”_

“How scary. Kanzakai is only a few hours away…” Inko turned the television off as she placed the five plates on the table, before going down to Izuku’s door. She already checked on the girls, only to find their beds empty. They were likely already doing their morning training. Izuku’s door, however, was still closed. A sign he was still in bed. _‘He must’ve forgotten to set his alarm,’_ she thought as she knocked on the door. “Izuku, are you up yet? Breakfast is ready!” She didn’t bother to wait for an answer, twisting the knob and opening the door. And what she found in his room was something she wasn’t prepared for.

 

* * *

 

Izuku groaned as the sun’s rays woke him. “So heavy…” He grumbled quietly and turned over to his side, his arm reaching out to nothing under the covers.

_*Squeeze*_

He flinched, feeling the sensation of something warm, soft, and round in the palm of his hand. Izuku’s eyes snapped open, finding the sleeping face of a nude Rias in front of him. He nearly screamed in shock, realizing that his right hand was currently groping her left breast. He quietly tried to get up, only to find a sleeping Ibara on his other side. And on top of him he found Ochako, sleeping soundly with a bliss smile. They too were nude.

“W-W-W-W-W-What!?” He gasped. He was trapped, surrounded on all sides by the sleeping girls, his brain going into overdrive to rationalize why they were in his bed and how they got in without him noticing. Yet he quietly admitted to himself that Rias’ breast was just so soft yet firm. He began to wonder if Ochako’s or Ibara’s breasts were just as-

_‘NO! STOP BRAIN! STOP~!’_

Ddraig was oddly silent during this.

As Izuku’s mind began to meltdown, the girls all groaned quietly, slowly waking up. “Grrm… good morning, Izuku-san,” Ibara greeted, stretching out her arms.

“Good morning,” Rias yawned tiredly.

“Mmm… Morning,” Ochako tiredly rubbed her eye.

“G-Good morning,” a stuttering Izuku nodded. Rias he already knew slept nude, but Ibara and Ochako? Since when do they do that?! “W-W-Why a-are y-y-you all i-in my b-bed? N-N-N-N-N-N…”

Ochako and Ibara, realizing why he was stuttering, blushed and covered themselves. Rias, however, smiled. “You like what you see, Izu?”

“Huh?” Izuku hadn’t noticed that his eyes were wandering slightly, gazing at their exposed racks and thighs. Rias did, though, and she liked it.

“To answer your question, I caught Ochako and Ibara sneaking into your room last night,” she quietly looked at the two girls in question. “Apparently they wanted to sleep with you as a way to pay me back for our date later.” Izuku’s eyes widened. He had completely forgotten about that. “So I decided to join them. When they saw that I slept nude they decided to do so as well. By the way, what time is it?”

Ochako glanced over at Izuku’s All Might alarm clock. “6:53?!”

“We slept in?” Ibara asked.

“Izuku, did you forget to set your alarm?” Rias asked him.

 _‘I had a lot on my mind last night!’_ He wanted to retort, but a sudden knock on the door made him stop, followed by a voice from the other side.

“Izuku, are you up yet? Breakfast is ready!” Before he could make any attempt to answer or even try to run to the door, the knob twisted and opened up. His mother stood at the doorway and instantly saw three naked girls in bed with him. Izuku’s pupils shrank and his face turned bright red, realizing how it must look like. Ibara’s face became bright red and looked down in embarrassment with Ochako doing the same, covering her face with her hands to hide her embarrassment. Rias didn’t seem to mind, though.

Inko stood quietly, her eyes lidded in a deadpan face and her mouth slightly agape. “G…good morning,” she greeted in a lazy tone. “Izuku, please get dressed. I’d like to have a word with you about this.” She said nothing more as she slowly closed the door.

For a moment, Izuku could only lay there, dumbfounded. He just wanted to die now.

[…Huh, wha? What’d I miss?] Ddraig snorted, apparently having been asleep.

Izuku hung his head low. _‘Nothing much. Just the beginning of the end of my life is all…’_

 

* * *

 

The girls got dressed quickly in their school uniforms and sat on the living room sofa. Izuku himself was also dressed in his U.A. uniform and was standing before his mother. The woman in question stood by with an impassive look on her face. She was very quiet, taken to uncomfortable levels, as she looked at Izuku, then the girls, then at Izuku again. She held her hands at her hips, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath to cool her nerves.

“Izuku…”

“I can explain!” Izuku screeched, only for Inko to place a finger on his lips, silencing him. He flinched at the glare Inko was giving him.

Once Inko removed her finger she continued. “Izuku… my baby boy… Are you a sexual deviant!?”

“Wh-What!? No! I-!”

Inko then exploded. “WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT, HUH!? THREE NAKED GIRLS CUDDLING WITH YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT? WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? ANSWER ME!” Inko shouted in a quick panic.

“Mom! I know how it looks but it's not what you think!”

“WHICH ONE MADE YOU DO IT!? WHICH ONE TOOK YOUR PURITY!? DID THEY HYPNOTIZE YOU WITH THEIR BOOBS!?”

Izuku was taken aback as the girls all looked to the ground with large blushes. “No! We didn’t do anything! I SWEAR!”

Inko looked ready to yell something else when, thankfully, Rias intervened. “Inko, can I interject for a minute?” She spoke up. Inko stayed quiet while Izuku silently thanked his master, “It was our choice to sleep in bed with Izuku. We didn’t mean to cause any problems.”

Inko looked over at Rias with an arched eyebrow. “And you didn’t do anything last night?” Rias and the other girls shook their heads. Sighting in relief, Inko continued. “I suppose you’re telling the truth, otherwise I would’ve heard,” Izuku and the girls all blushed. “If you girls wish to sleep with him, then I suppose it’s fine. He’s 15 and it’s normal for boys his age to experiment and fool around with girls he likes. But when a mother sees her son in bed with a naked girl, let alone three, she’s expected to freak out.”

Izuku sighed in relief. It looked like the crisis had been averted for now. “Thanks, mom. Anyway, we should eat and get ready for school, so-” He turned around and tried to leave, but a quick grip on his shoulder froze him in place.

“Not so fast, young man. There is one more thing I still need to do,” Inko said, a strained smile on her face, “Girls, once you finish eating, could you all go wait outside for a moment? I’m not quite finished talking with my son.” The trio of young women looked at her oddly but nodded.

Once breakfast was finished the three girls grabbed their school bags and waited outside. Once she was sure they were gone, Inko could now say what she needed privately. “Izuku?”

“Y-yes?” Izuku began, a scared look in his eyes.

“While I don’t mind the fact that you have several girlfriends…”

“They’re not my-!”

Inko silenced him once again before continuing. “In fact, I’m thrilled, as it gives me the chance to have lots of grandbabies to spoil,” she either didn’t see or ignored the mortified look on her son’s face. “That said, there are still things you need to learn about courtship before then,” Inko told him, her dry smile still plastered on her face.

“W-W-What d-does t-t-that m-m-m-mean?” Izuku asked nervously.

“It’s time you and I finally had ‘The Talk’,” Inko said creepily. “I hope you’re ready for a crash course in Sex-Ed.”

 

* * *

 

It was about a thirty-minute wait as the girls stood on in the walkway in front of the apartment, wondering what Izuku and his mother were doing. Their thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening, and they all looked to see Izuku stepping out of the house, looking haggard.

“Sorry for… making you… wait…” Izuku groaned, leaning against the railing.

“Your mother must’ve tired you out, huh?” Rias asked, looking worried.

“Izuku-san, what happened?” Ibara questioned.

Izuku looked up at them. His face was very pale and his eyes were wide, almost as if he saw something he wasn’t meant to know. “My mom… crammed all the Sex-Ed info… she could into my head. She wasn’t going to let me go until she was sure I had everything,” he answered.

“That doesn’t sound too bad,” Ochako said.

“She was very graphic and descriptive about it. _Very_ graphic and descriptive. And she said that she wasn’t finished yet,” Izuku sighed. “The only reason she let me go was because we have school.”

Rias gently placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I would’ve altered her memories, but she didn’t give me a chance. If you want I can change her memory so that we’re at least dressed.”

Izuku shook his head. “No, it’s too late,” he said. “Let’s just get to school.”

 

* * *

 

“Listen, heroes, you’d better not come after me, because if you do, I’m killing this little family here,” A giant pink Villain stated, holding three civilians as hostages. The heroes he was talking to, Mt. Lady, Kamui Woods, and Death Arms, were a few meters away from him, panting out of breath from fighting the Villain.

“ **It’s fine now, family! MISSOURI SMASH!** ”

All Might dashed right past the Villain from behind and karate chopped him in the head, instantly knocking him out while securing the family to safety. “ **Why? Because I AM HERE… on my way to work!** ”

”YEEEAAHHH!!!!” the crowd cheered their favorite hero enthusiastically.

“We appreciate it but…” Mount Lady spoke with a depressed tone.

“He’ll put us out of business,” Kamui bemoaned in a lamenting fashion.

“Thank you, Sir,” a Police officer on the scene saluted as his five colleagues slowly dragged the unconscious Villain to a secure van. “Even the Heroes were having trouble with that one.”

“ **Happy to help good sir!** ” All Might saluted back. “ **Now, I mustn’t be late for school.** ”

Before anything else was said, All Might heard a scream in the distance.

“KYAAA a hit and run!”

“ **Nezu will have my hide for being late, but…** ” All Might launched himself into the air.

As he flew through the air, he noticed something. _‘_ ** _Am I… getting slower?_** _’_ He glanced at his hand mid-flight. _‘_ ** _Ever since I forced myself last year, the time I can spend in this form has gradually become shorter. Still… I have to last. I need to find a successor soon._** _’_

His thoughts drifted to Nighteye’s pupil. _‘_ ** _I am proud that Young Togata turned down the offer, despite Nighteye’s insistence. Still, if that tip Tsukauchi received is true, if he IS still out there, I must be ready to face him if he comes back before I can find a successor!_** _'_ All Might thought in the time it took him to reach the fleeing vehicle and smashed the engine so it would be unable to go any further.

“I heard there was a hostage crisis the next town over!” a person on the footpath spoke, looking at their phone.

“ **Hmm!** ” All Might wanted to sigh, but a Heroes duty to the civilians must come first. _‘_ ** _Aizawa’s gonna chew my ear off for this…_** _’_ With that last unappealing thought, All Might headed in the direction of the next town over.

 

* * *

 

It was just after a relatively short lunch that the class was seated before Aizawa’s bored form. “Now for today’s Basic Hero Training. It’ll be different from usual,” Aizawa began. “Due to the incident with the media yesterday, it was decided that classes 1-A and 1-B will be working together, under the supervision of four instructors: All Might, Vlad King, me and a fourth you will meet at the training grounds.”

“Um, what’re we gonna be doing exactly?” Sero asked, raising an arm.

“Preparing your disaster relief skills, you’ll be dealing with natural disasters,” here Aizawa pulled out a white care with the word ‘RESCUE’ written on. “It’s time to move on to more in-depth Rescue Training.”

“Rescue… Looks like it’ll be a lot of work this time, too.” Kaminari said.

“Right?” Mina agreed with him.

“Now _this_ is the duty of a Hero! My arms are ready to rumble!” Kirishima was fired up.

“No one can beat me in water, kero.” Tsuyu said as she too anticipated the rescue training.

“Hey, I’m not done,” Aizawa glared lightly at the chatting students. “It’s up to each of you whether or not you wear your costumes, as some of them may be ill-suited to this activity.” He pressed a button and the student's briefcases slid out from the wall panels. “The training sight is a bit of a way’s from here, so we'll be traveling by bus.” He looked back to the class who were still seated. “That’s all, get ready.” With that, he turned and walked out the door. The students got up from their chairs and began to prepare to head to rescue training.

 

* * *

 

As Class 1-A walked out after changing into their costumes. As they did so, Ochako noticed something. “Izu-kun, where’s your costume?” She asked. He was wearing a gym uniform.

“It’s still being repaired by the Support Department,” Izuku answered. “Someone name Hatsume is in charge of it, but I haven’t heard anything from them yet.”

“Aww~, I wanted to see it,” the unmistakable voice of Setsuna caused Izuku to flinch. She, along with Ibara, Itsuka, and Milia were walking up to them.

Itsuka wore a blue knee-length qipao, with a black double-breasted corset that ended just below her bust, with short black spats underneath, a brown utility belt, a satchel attached to her back, a thin black domino mask around her eyes and white-heeled navy blue boots.

As for Setsuna, she wore a blue scaly mask over her eyes, a bodysuit with a matching design and black knee-high boots, while her hands were covered in fingerless gloves with wrist guards and a belt around her waist decorated with a jewel in its center.

Milia’s costume was surprisingly modest… for a succubus. It consisted of a dark leotard mixed with a purple dress, a dark purple cloak over it. She also had black boots, two brown fanny packs, and her glasses were replaced by a mask that resembled bat wings.

“I hope they don’t change it too much,” Mina suddenly pop up at Izuku’s side, leaning onto his shoulder. “But if they do, I hope they make it skintight!”

Izuku blushed in response, “A-Ashido-san…”

“Uh, uh, uh!” she wagged her finger side to side, “My name is Mina! Miiinaaa~! You should use it, cutie!”

“C-c-c…!” Izuku started to stammer, his earlier blush turning up to eleven, his freckles standing out starkly as his brain seemed to overheat.

“By the way, how’s my costume? Pretty hot, huh?” She asked. The pink-skinned teen made extra sure to push her chest forward, showing off her cleavage.

Izuku looked away, hiding his burning red face as he stuttered. “I-I-I-I c-can’t a-a-an-answer that!”

“Aww~, why not?” Mina faked whined.

“BECAUSE REASONS!” He yelled, getting the attention of some of the other students.

 

* * *

 

Izuku had a good reason to not answer. In the halls a few floors above the ground, Rias Gremory silently glared at the gathered students. Specifically, the pink-skinned girl who was _far_ to close to Izuku for her liking. “Uh, Rias? You okay?” Kudelia hesitantly approached the red-haired devil.

“It’s rare to see her so worked up,” Sona commented. “She must _really_ like Midoriya.”

Rias ignored the presence of her friends, her gaze focused solely on the pink-skinned girl flirting with _her_ servant!

Sona sighed before looking at the boy of Rias’ affections. She had to admit, he had a certain… appeal.

 

* * *

 

Ibara, Ochako, Milia, Itsuka, and Setsuna all silently glared at Mina. But before they could say or do anything…

“Kendo, stop being friendly with Class 1-A.” Monoma stride up to them, wearing a tuxedo with several clocks around his waist. Izuku recognized him from when he went to Bespi Tower. “They’re our enemies because they think they are better than us since they’re in Class A but we know that they are nothing but a bunch of-”

*CHOP!*

Whatever mocking words he was going to say was cut short by Itsuka’s karate chop. “This is the second time this week, Monoma. You better not make it a habit.”

As Itsuka dragged Monoma to 1-B’s bus, Milia could only watch in envy at Ochako and Ibara talking with Izuku. She was just so far behind them that she…

A hand was suddenly on her shoulder. “Oh, relax, Milia,” Celica cheerfully said. Her hero costume consists of a plain, long-sleeved, white shirt with golden rimming across the collar and sides, with black and gold cuffs. The costume also consists of a frilled black mini-skirt with a golden line crossing it horizontally. The skirt itself barely reaches her thighs and is held in place by a small gold buckle. Finishing the costume’s look, Celica also had a black cape with golden lining that reaches to her back, a pink witch’s hat, and brown running shoes. “You’ll get your chance, soon."

Milia looked to the Pawn, nodding and smiling. She was right. Her chance with Izuku will come soon. She just had to be patient.

The students from the hero course started to introduce themselves to each other. Several friendships rapidly formed between them, due to sharing personal interests or having similar Quirks. “All right, everyone get to your assigned buses now!” Aizawa ordered. The students did as ordered, and soon they were heading to their location, eager to learn more about being heroes.

 

* * *

 

Izuku gave a quick mention of the bus’s open layout as his fellow classmates arrived, allowing them to take any seats they pleased. Aizawa had sat up the back while the rest of the class sat towards the front, Izuku ending up between Tsuyu and Hyde.

“So it was this type of bus huh?” Mina smirked across from Izuku.

“It does explain why you said for us to sit anywhere,” Iida nodded, sitting next to Mina.

“Still, we’re kinda sitting randomly,” Tsubasa, sitting in the back with Liana, said.

“Does it matter? I mean we’re all classmates,” Hyde pointed out.

“True that,” Kirishima nodded in agreement.

“You know I generally speak my mind right Midoriya-chan,” Tsuyu started off, tilting her head to look at her green-haired seat-mate.

“Um, yes, Asui-san?”

“Call me Tsuyu-chan.”

“R-Right… my bad,” Izuku apologized.

“Your Quirk is a little odd. You can increase your own power, but also turn into a dragon, like Ryukyu’s?” Tsuyu bluntly said.

“Uh, well, yeah, I guess it kinda is like her’s,” Izuku muttered. “I can double my power, but only once every ten-seconds. So there are limits.”

“Wait, doubled power every ten-seconds?! That’s crazy!” said Kirishima. “That’s nothing like my Hardening. I’m good in a fight sure, but otherwise, it’s really boring.” With the sound of splitting concrete, Kirishima’s arm took on it's customary sharp, rocky form as he activated his Quirk.

“Not at all, I think that it’s a great Quirk,” Izuku grinned. “More than enough to go Pro.”

“Ya think? I mean I don’t think it’s the type of Quirk that’ll have popular appeal,” Kirishima grimaced.

“It is something that I needn’t worry about.” Aoyama took this moment to speak. “My Navel Laser is both strong and cool. Perfect for a Pro.”

“Yeah, that’s if ya can avoid blowing up your stomach.” Mina grinned, placing her hand on the glittering Hero-in-Training’s shoulder. The group held in a snicker at the pasty look that overcame Aoyama’s face.

“Still though, if any of us have Pro Quirks, besides Midoriya it be Todoroki and Bakugo.” Kirishima cast a glance to the back of the bus at where the mentioned two were sitting. The explosive blonde gave the group in front of him a mild glare and a ‘tch’ before resuming to ignore them until…

“Quirk aside, Bakugo’s so unhinged that he’ll never be popular,” Tsuyu bluntly stated.

“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SAY, FROG FACE!? I’LL KILL YOUR ASS!” Bakugo slammed his hands own on the guard in front of him as he stood up and glared toward Tsuyu.

“See?” Tsuyu bluntly stated as she pointed back to the caustic teen, her point proven.

“It’s sad that one of the things that’s become obvious over the first week with you is that you’ve made it abundantly clear that your personality is of a turd getting steamed in a sewer," Kaminari smirked.

“What the hell kinda vocabulary is that?!” Bakugo snarled at the blonde.

[Surprised that Bakugo is the one getting teased in school, now?]

 _‘Yeah,’_ Izuku nodded. _‘It’s certainly a new sight,’_ Izuku laughed to himself as the bus began to slow down.

“Look sharp, we’re here.” Aizawa was already at the front of the bus, stepping out while ordering the students out. They all got off the bus to see a large dome building before seeing someone in a large space suit waiting for them.

“Hello everyone, I’ve been waiting for you!” declared the person in the spacesuit.

“Oh my gosh, it’s the Space Hero: Thirteen!” Ochako gushed, “She’s my favorite hero!”

“The gentleman hero who does his best work in rescue scenarios!” Izuku added.

“A true gentleman indeed,” Jurato nodded.

They were swiftly led into the domed building to see so many variations of rescue training areas, all built to simulate real-time disasters. “It looks like Universal Studio Japan!” Kirishima and Tetsutetsu both yelled.

“A Flood Zone, a Landslide Zone, a Conflagration Zone, a Flood Zone, and more! Every disaster and accident you can imagine,” said Thirteen. “I built this facility myself, I call it… the ‘Unforeseen Simulation Joint’.”

 _‘…So it really is USJ.’_ Was the prevailing thought amongst the students.

“Thirteen, where’s All Might? He’s supposed to be here,” Class 1-A’s homeroom teacher asked.

“Ah, about that…” Thirteen held up three fingers before continuing in a lower voice. “It seems that he overdid it on hero work on the way here and he already reached his limit. He’s currently resting at the lounge back at U.A.”

Aizawa sighed.

“That fool. He should know better than that.” Vlad King said in a whisper tone.

“Well, there’s nothing we can do now. We just got to start the training without him.” Aizawa whispered as the two heroes agreed.

“Before we do, I have one or two points to make,” Thirteen held up two fingers, before raising two others. “Or three, maybe four… five… six… seven…”

The students sweat-dropped. _‘So a lot of points?’_

“Everyone, I am sure you are aware of my Quirk, Black Hole. I can suck up anything and turn it to dust.” Thirteen said as she explained her Quirk.

“You’ve been able to use that Quirk to save people from all kinds of disasters, right?” Izuku asked.

“Yes, but it is a power that can easily kill. Some of you also have Quirks like that, right?” Thirteen asked back. None of the students answered, but many silently said ‘yes’. “In a superhuman society, personal Quirks have been certified and stringently regulated, so that doesn’t seem to be a problem at first glance. However, please do not forget that there are many Quirks that can easily kill with one wrong step. With All Might’s combat training, I think you have experienced the danger of using those powers against others. This class is a fresh start. You shall learn how to use your Quirks to save people’s lives. You do not have powers so you can harm others. I hope you leave here with the understanding that you have powers in order to help others. That is all. Thank you for listening.” Thirteen finished her speech with a bow.

The students clapped at her speech.

“This is why Thirteen is my favorite hero!” Ochako clapped enthusiastically.

“Bravo! Good sir, bravo!” Iida was perhaps a little too enthusiastic.

“So manly…” Kirishima and Tetsutetsu cried manly tears.

It was now Aizawa’s turn to speak. “Alright, let’s get started. First-”

But before he could finish his sentence, the various lights and electricity went off. Both classes and the teachers looked around in surprise. “What happened to the lights?” Milia asked.

Suddenly, a purplish portal appeared in the middle of the USJ. A feeling of dread filled both Aizawa and Vlad as they turned around. Exiting from the portal, they could see a face, covered in a dismembered hand.

“Gather up and don’t move!” Aizawa shouted, scaring the students.

“Do as he says!” Vlad roared as he readied his fists. “Thirteen, protect the students!”

Seeing their defensive nature, some of the students looked out into the central plaza to see what had made them act this way.

“What is that?” Itsuka asked.

More figures exited the portal, flooding the area from the mist, each with unique Quirks that made them stand out in one or another way. The most prominent ones being a giant humanoid whose brain was visible, and a large figure wearing a gray cloak, both standing next to the man with the hands.

“Is this like the Entrance Exam? Did the training already start?" Kirishima asked.

“I thought we were doing rescue training?” Monoma said.

“DON’T MOVE!” Vlad commanded as Aizawa put on his yellow goggles.

“Aizawa-sensei, what’s going on?” Izuku asked.

“Those are villains…” Aizawa replied.

This student’s eyes widened in shock.

 

* * *

 

“I don’t see him, bossman,” the large man in the cloak said.

“Neither do I,” the dark mist turned into a vaguely humanoid shape. “The only heroes I see are Eraserhead, Thirteen, and Vlad King. There are also more students than expected. Perplexing. According to the schedule we retrieved, All Might should be here, and Class 1-B should still be at the main building.”

“We did give them a pretty good scare earlier,” the man with the hands said. “Guess it makes sense that they changed the schedule a little in response. As for All Might, he might just be late. Killing a few kids might summon him faster.”

 

* * *

 

Aizawa’s binding cloth furiously unraveled as the last of the villains stumbled through the black fog. Thirteen stepped in front of the shocked students, keeping vigilance over them as Aizawa and Vlad King prepared for battle. “Villains attacking U.A. not even a _day_ after the media forced their way in,” Vlad muttered.

“Then yesterday’s breach must’ve been _their_ doing…” Aizawa muttered.

“But why would Villains break in here!?” Kirishima shouted.

“Yeah, who’d be stupid enough to sneak into a school for heroes?” added Tetsutetsu.

“Sensei!” Itsuka addressed to Thirteen, wiggling her way to the front of the two classes. “Doesn’t the USJ have trespasser sensors?”

“We do, but…”

“If the sensors are not responding, then one of their Quirks must be responsible for it,” Liana said. “An isolated part of the campus during a scheduled class… they planned this meticulously.”

“That means they have some sort of goal in mind,” said Todoroki, his tone not even remotely affected by the sudden appearance of villains.

“And since we’re isolated away from the main campus,” continued Monoma, his usual sarcastic and flamboyant speech absent for once. “That means nobody knows what’s happening here. Quite smart for a bunch of fools.”

“Thirteen! Begin evacuation,” barked Aizawa. “If they’re jamming the sensors, then most likely they’re jamming communications. The Quirk is either an electrical-based one or radio wave-based. Kaminari, try to contact the school with your Quirk.”

“S-Sir!” Kaminari obeyed.

“Class Reps, organize your classes. Make sure you keep a headcount on everyone,” warned Vlad King.

“You can’t fight all of them by yourselves!” Izuku exclaimed.

“Yeah, we can help out!” Hyde added.

“Hmph, don’t underestimate us pros,” Aizawa smirked. “No good hero is just a one-trick pony.”

“Reminds me of our student days,” Vlad smirked. “Now that I think back, we’re _still_ even in our spars. Wanna use this as a tie-breaker?”

“This isn’t the time, Kan,” Aizawa reprimanded. “…And as a reminder, I’m leading at 51.” Aizawa jumped down the stairs.

“Why that-!” Vlad quickly followed after his colleague.

 

* * *

 

“Shooting squad, let’s go!” grinned a Villain with gun barrels for fingers.

“Didn’t our intel say it was just gonna be All Might and Thirteen? Why’s Vlad King here? And who’s that hobo?” A female Villain with long grey hair floating upwards stated as she and the rest of the observed Aizawa charging ahead of Vlad.

“Don’t recognize ‘im. But if they think they can take us down then they’re dead!” Another Villain stated as they got ready to kill the two pros.

Aizawa responded by activating his Quirk as his eyes turned blood red and stared at all the Villains in his line of sight. One of the villains tried to shoot from his fingertips, but found his Quirk not working, “Huh? My Quirk!”

The other two villains were having similar issues, Aizawa having erased their Quirks. They didn’t have time to understand what was happening when Aizawa wrapped capture cloth. With a swift tug, all three of them flew right into each other above Aizawa’s head, knocking each other out.

“Idiots! That’s Eraserhead!” A random Villain shouted. “He can erase Quirks just by looking at you!”

“Erase? Bet you can’t erase mutation-type Quirks like mine, can ya!” A large Villain with multiple arms around his body said as he charged at Aizawa.

“Yeah, I can’t,” Aizawa replied, easily dodging the attacker’s first strike and punching him square in the face. “But the skill of guys like you…” Suddenly, the capture cloth shot out and wrapped itself around the Villain’s leg as Eraserhead dodged a second punch and he countered with a kick. “…are statistically better suited for close combat…”

Pulling from the cloth, the multi-armed Villain was sent flying against a crowd of goons, throwing the group to the ground and taking them out of combat. “…so I’ve taken measures against that,” Aizawa said confidently as he easily manhandled what were clearly the cannon fodder minions.

A group of four Villains tried to attack him from the back, but Vlad intercepted them and in two swings managed to knock them out, his punches so hard and fast that one's face was not enough to stop them. “Got you!” A burly looking Villain shouted as he tried to punch Vlad, only for him to easily catch the fist with one hand. Suddenly, blood came gushing out of his gauntlet, ensnaring the Villain’s hand.

**Kan Sekijiro AKA Vlad King, Quirk: Blood Control. He can control his own blood once it leaves his body.**

“Eww, let me go!" struggled the villain.

Vlad’s response was to roar and using the villain as a bat, knocking several others before spinning and tossing him away. The poor Villain landed at the feet of the apparent leader of the invading Villains.

“Nomu, get rid of him.” Stated the leader.

Nomu squawked and kicked the villain away.

“Shigaraki Tomura, please do not throw whomever we gather like that,” sighed the Mist Villain.

“Not like it matters Kurogiri,” the Villain in the cloak grunted. “There are plenty more where he came from. Now hurry up and cut me loose. I’m starving!” His voice practically oozed in anticipation and excitement.

“Not yet,” Shigaraki scolded. “We need to see what these pros can do first. In the meantime…” he looked up the stairs. The students were already running back toward the exit. “Kurogiri, take care of the children.”

 

* * *

 

Back with the students, they were awed by the fact Aizawa and Vlad can hold their own against all those Villains. “Guess they aren’t Pro’s for nothing,” Izuku muttered, impressed before shaking his head. “No time for analysis.” He turned to join the rest of the students.

The group of forty students, led by Thirteen, were now reaching the exit, but as they did a purple mist appeared in front of them, allowing the Villain to appear. “I’m afraid I cannot allow you to leave, dear students.” The looming vortex compress into Kurogiri.

 _‘In a blink of the eye he appeared in front of us from the Central Plaza,’_ thought Thirteen. _‘He may just be the most dangerous one here.’_

“Greetings, we are the League of Villains,” Kurogiri introduced in a polite manner. “Forgive our audacity and impertinence, but we have come to U.A. High, the most hallowed bastion of Heroism in Japan for a simple task.” Here he locked eyes with a few of the students and Thirteen. “To end the life of All Might, the Symbol of Peace. Though it appears he’s not in class at the moment. Still, my role remains unchanged.”

As Kurogiri monologued, Thirteen flipped out one of her finger caps, preparing to use her Quirk. However, Bakugo, Kirishima, and Tetsutetsu all rushed Kurogiri. Kirishima hardened his fist, Tetsutetsu steeled his, and together the boys aimed for Kurogiri's head while Bakugo had both hands out and blasted the bottom.

“Ha, didn’t expect us to take you out first, did ya?” Kirishima taunted.

“Yeah, take that!” Tetsutetsu said, high-fiving Kirishima.

“Oh dear, that was dangerous…” everyone gasped as the smoke cleared, revealing an unharmed Kurogiri. “You certainly live up to your school’s reputation.”

“Students, move out of the way now!” Thirteen yelled, her finger pointed towards Kurogiri, but it was too late.

“But now it’s time for me to scatter you to meet my comrades… and your deaths!” Kurogiri yelled, enveloping both classes with his dark mist. Iida grabbed whoever was nearest to him and ran out of the mist, which were Ochako and Komuri. Shoji grabbed Yuga, Mina, and Tsuburaba, as they were closest to him, and managed to anchor himself into the ground to avoid being sucked in. Awase fused his feet into the ground while grabbing Sero and Kamakiri, fusing his hands into their skin to avoid being pulled away. Jurota transformed, grabbing Celica and Monoma and anchor himself down similar to Shoji.

But the fog soon had everyone else surrounded, swallowing them whole.

Izuku flinched as a pair of frightened, trembling hands slapped down on his shoulders before the mist sucked him in entirely.

Izuku yelled out in a panic as his feet and the ground were no longer connected. His bearings were totally lost, and the only sensation he felt besides the hands on his shoulders. The mist pulled him down, down, down, until, at last, a glimmer of light could be seen through the end of the shadowy aperture.

“Whoa!” Izuku’s vision spun as the shadows spat him out, dumping him onto a hard, rocky surface. He stayed on the ground for a few seconds, shaking his head to regain his senses. For some reason, something incredibly soft was pressing against his head, and everything was wet.

It took him a second to realize that he was underwater. _‘Water? That mist guy must have a warping Quirk.’_ A pair of slender arms wrapped around him and began dragging him to the surface. Izuku turned his head, seeing the face of Milia. _‘We must’ve been warped here together.’_ Suddenly, Milia’s eyes widened in horror and shock.

Izuku’s eyes wandered to where Milia was looking, and they widened in shock. A Villain with shark-like was heading straight for them at high speeds, “First catch of the day! Nothing personal, but you kids gotta die!”

Then, from out of nowhere, Tsuyu appeared and rammed into the villain on his right cheek. “Midoriya-chan, Takamaki-chan,” the frog girl used her tongue to wrap it around the two devils before dragging them out of the water.

As the two devils gasped for breath when they reached the surface, a ship waiting for them. “Are you guys, okay?” Izuku and Milia looked up, seeing Hyde, Pony, and Rin on the ship already. “Hang on, we’ll get a rope!” Hyde said.

“No need,” Tsuyu, using her long tongue, gently placed Izuku and Milia on the boat carefully. As Izuku rubbed his head, he finally realized what the soft things against his head were: Milia’s boobs. His face turned red as he scurried away, Milia’s face just as red. Even though she silently admitted she had fantasied doing that with Izuku.

“I got two more coming on board!” Tsuyu had both Yui and Mineta wrapped in her arms.

As she wrapped Yui in her tongue and placed her on the boat, Mineta said, “For a frog… you got pretty big boobs…” the prevented boy said, using how tired he is to lean his head on her bosom. It made her blushed and embarrassed by his action.

In response the frog girl wrapped her tongue around Mineta’s body and instead of placing him on the boat, she slammed him on there as hard as she could. Once that was done Tsuyu climbed on the boat

“You saved mine and Takamaki-san’s lives,” Izuku said. “Thanks, Asui-san.”

“I told you to call me Tsuyu-chan or Tsu-chan.” She said.

**Asui Tsuyu, Quirk: Frog. She can basically do anything a frog can.**

“O-O-Oh, s-sorry I didn’t mean it,” Izuku muttered, waving his hands around nervously.

“You okay, Yui?” Milia asked her classmate, who nodded.

“Did you see anyone else?” Rin asked.

“Not anyone I recognized,” Tsuyu replied. “We might be the only ones here.”

“Boy, are we in a pickle.” Said Pony.

“Yeah,” Hyde nodded. “What that mist guy said, do you really think they can kill All Might?”

“I’m not sure. But he was supposed to be here with our teachers including Thirteen for this period.” Izuku said.

“I did hear Thirteen say that he’s doing some Hero stuff in the city. But you’re right, he should’ve showed up. Probably would’ve taken down these guys right away." Hiryu said

“Yeah!” Said Mineta. “And once he _does_ show up, All Might will flatten these villains like nothing!”

“I’m not so sure,” said Tsuyu. “If they even bothered to come here, then they probably have a way to kill him.”

Everyone else looked at Tsuyu with varying looks of horror. “Yeah,” Izuku nodded. “You may be right. They obviously planned this for a while. They split us up, separating us from the teachers so it would be easier to get rid of us. The media break in yesterday was the prelude, just like what Aizawa-sensei said.”

“…Will we really be able to hold out until All Might arrives?” Milia hesitantly asked. “If he does come…Will he be all right?”

As the teens ponder Milia’s question, Hyde noticed something in the water. “Uh, we have other things to worry about!”

“You bastards!” the Shark Villain yelled, as he and a dozen more at least surrounded the boat. “I’ll enjoy eating you!”

Mineta proceeded to scream like a little girl.

Izuku looked at the villains swimming towards the boat before he looked to the others. Each of them were growing nervous, some more than others. Izuku tried to think. If they’re here for All Might, then they may have a way to kill him. They wouldn’t have planned this attack otherwise. _‘But why him of all the heroes? Because of his existence discourage villains and evil? Because he’s the one and only Symbol of Peace and Justice?'_ His demeanor turned to determination, clinching both his fist and teeth.

“If these Villains have a way to kill All Might, then right now, we MUST put a stop to whatever they’re planning!” He said, gaining the other's attention. “We have to fight… and win!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we’ve reached the USJ. With both 1-A and 1-B there, the League of Villains are gonna be in a world of hurt, huh? Or will it be the other way around?
> 
> Milia’s hero costume is based on a mix between Morrigan Aensland and Wiz from KonoSuba. As she could lose her glasses in a fight, her mask is of her prescription. Celica’s hero costume is mostly the same as her standard appearance in the BlazBlue game, with the addition of a witch’s hat (guess who inspired that).


End file.
